as Podmore had been led to believe, Phil would
have been more perplexed about it; even Wade's evident inside knowledge
of the transaction was sufficiently mystifying. That probably was part
of the "puzzle" which would be divulged in due course. Kendrick knew
that in the modern business world with its constant clashes between
powerful financial interests there were many undercurrents which a
young man fresh from college could not hope to gauge. He was content,
therefore, to accept Wade's superior judgment without question, to
follow instructions faithfully, secure in the knowledge that Benjamin
Wade was a man of the highest integrity.

The railroad president had gone on to Montreal and beyond delivery of a
letter to Nathaniel Lawson and the obtaining of an answer to it, his
final instructions to his new secretary had been simple.

"If you can get Nat Lawson to tell you his story, Phil, you'll spend
one interesting evening," he had suggested. "Good business for you to
know all about the Interprovincial. Use your own judgment and good
luck to you."

There was no hurry about calling on Lawson; it could wait till he got
back from this rush visit to Sparrow Lake. But what about this girl in
Ferguson's office? What a pippin! Phil was unable to decide whether
she had been listening at the keyhole because she had gone there for
that very purpose or whether he had surprised her merely taking
advantage of accidental opportunity to satisfy her curiosity. She
interested him greatly--probably because she was so pretty and had
rebuffed him so unmistakably.

He amused himself by absurd speculations about her. If she did have a
definite object in spying on Ferguson, the solitaire diamond on her
engagement finger might be a bluff; her cheap manner, so out of keeping
with refinement of feature and dress,--that might be faked likewise.
If she were one of these female detectives you read about, who had
hired her? Was she in the pay of Nickleby? If she were, it was
Kendrick's duty to keep an eye on her, wasn't it? And she was a tonic
for any eye!

Phil laughed at himself as he put the wheel over and swung back towards
home. He was becoming an utter fool! Darn girls, anyway! This was
the second one on whom he had wasted thought--one probably a thief and
the other a gum-chewing stenographer who was going to marry somebody in
Buffalo! And that, too, after each had told him quite plainly that if
he would just remove himsel