re the wool's short. I was
fool enough to ask the smaller stockholders to make out their proxies
in his name. At that time he was hand in glove with us. Now I'm up
against it. He's going to name the board of directors and have himself
made president."

Clay ventured on thin ice. The name of Bromfield had not been
mentioned to him before in the last twenty-four hours by either
Beatrice or her father. "Surely Bromfield wouldn't want to offend you."

"That's exactly what he would want to do."

"But--"

"He's got his reasons."

"Isn't there some way to stop him, then?"

"I've been getting a wrinkle trying to figure out one. I'd certainly
be in your debt if you could show me a way."

"When is the election?"

"At three o'clock."

"Where?"

"At the company offices."

"Perhaps if I talked with Bromfield--"

Whitford laughed shortly. "I'd talk an arm off him if it would do any
good. But it won't. He's out for revenge."

Clay's eyes alighted swiftly on the older man. They asked gravely a
question and found an answer that set his heart singing. Beatrice had
broken her engagement with Bromfield.

"He won't do, Clay. He's off color." Whitford did a bit of mental
acrobatics. "Why do you suppose he took you to Maddock's?"

Again Lindsay's appraising gaze rested on his friend. "I've never
worked that out to my satisfaction. It wasn't the kind of place he
would be likely to go for pleasure. But I don't think he'd arranged a
trap for me, if that's what you mean. It doesn't look reasonable that
he would want me killed."

Whitford told him all he knew about the affair. The story told him
banished any doubts Clay may have had about a certain step he had begun
during the last few minutes to hold in consideration. It did more. It
hardened a fugitive impulse to a resolution. Bromfield was fair game
for him.

It was a little after eleven o'clock next morning when the cattleman
walked into an apartment house for bachelors, took the elevator, and
rang the bell at Bromfield's door.

Clarendon, fresh from the hands of his valet, said he was glad to see
Lindsay, but did not look it. He offered his guest a choice of liquors
and selected for himself a dry martini. Cigars and cigarettes were
within reach on a tabouret.

Clay discovered that one difficulty he had expected to meet did not
complicate the problem. The valet had left to select the goods for
half a dozen custom-made shirts, Bromfield expla