National Bank?" inquired Gresham
quietly.

"No. Say, Gresham, what have you up your sleeve? Gamble paid me fifteen
thousand dollars this morning, as per agreement. I would scarcely think
he would risk that much money on a bluff."

"He paid you the fifteen thousand, then?" said Gresham with a smile.
"Mr. Courtney, one does not like to mix in these affairs; but you and
my father were friends and, though I regret to do so, I feel it my duty
to advise you to call up the Fourth National Bank."

"Thanks!" gratefully acknowledged Courtney, and hurried down to the
telephone booth. He came back in a few moments, and his manner was
distinctly cool. "I 'phoned to Mr. Close," he stated. "He tells me that
an attachment was laid against Mr. Gamble's account at his bank
yesterday for fifteen thousand dollars, and was returned to the server
marked 'no funds'; but that this morning the executor of Mr. Gamble's
interests in the Gamble-Collaton Irrigation Company deposited fifteen
thousand dollars for the specific purpose of meeting this attachment.
Mr. Close informs me that, though he could not, of course, guarantee
Mr. Gamble's solvency, he would take Mr. Gamble's unsupported word on
any proposition. I have known Joe Close for years, and I never knew him
to be so enthusiastic about any man who possessed no negotiable
securities. I thank you for your well-intentioned interference in my
behalf, Mr. Gresham, but I think I shall cling to Mr. Gamble
nevertheless."

"I certainly should if I were in your place," Gresham hastily assured
him with such heartiness as he could assume. "I am delighted to learn
that the rumor I heard of Mr. Gamble's insolvency is unfounded."

"By the way, where did you hear the rumor?" inquired Courtney with a
frown.

"Really, I've forgotten," Gresham confessed.

"One should not forget such things if one repeats such rumors,"
Courtney reproved him.

Gresham went away both puzzled and annoyed. It was three o'clock before
he found Collaton; and that featureless young man, whose lack of
visible eyebrows and lashes was a constant annoyance to the fastidious
Gresham, was in a high state of elation.

"Well, we get back your fifteen thousand," he exulted after they were
safely in Gresham's apartments. "Of course Jacobs gets five thousand
for engineering the deal, but that gives us five thousand apiece.
Jacobs was told--about eleven o'clock--that the money was there."

"Keep my share; but why didn't you send me