nd Elsa glanced at each other apprehensively.

Dick cleared his throat and spoke for the first time. "Easy, now Roger!"

Roger did not seem to hear him. "How do you mean, you've sold me to the
German government?"

"What I say. The Smithsonian people turned me down cold and when I told
my troubles to Werner, he offered to help me out. Germany's crazy to
develop this neck of the woods. And crazier still to get fellows like
you and me to using their influence among the educators and scientists
of this country in favor of German culture."

Roger's face was like stone. "How do you mean, sold my device to the
German government?" he repeated.

"What I say!" roared Ernest. "I sold it for fifty thousand dollars. I've
checks for the rest here in my pocket, but I knew you'd get your back
up, so I was waiting for Werner. Now listen, Roger, you've the chance of
a lifetime. You've often said you were going to Germany if this country
failed you, and it did."

Roger looked around the room in a dazed way, then back at Ernest. "You
sold my invention--the work of my life--without my knowledge or
permission? Ernest, it can't be true. Why, you're my best friend!"

"Certainly I am."

"And you sold it to a stranger. Sold me out. Why I'd as soon you sold a
child of mine. Damn it, are you Germans born crooked?" He rose slowly.
"You picked my brains and sold the contents. You sneaked on me! And I
thought you were my friend! You've lied to me ever since you came home.
Why did you lie----" his voice rising now uncontrollably. "Why did you
lie, you skunk?"

Ernest's face turned purple. He leaned across the table and struck Roger
in the mouth.

"No one can say that to me!" he shouted.

Roger rushed around the table and seized Ernest by the throat. "Now I'm
going to kill you," he said between his teeth.

Dick, shouting for Gustav, fought to break Roger's hold. Gustav came
rushing over the porch.

When Roger next was fully conscious of himself he was climbing from the
desert up onto a broad mesa. The sun was sinking behind the mountains
into which the mesa merged. When he reached the crest of the mesa, Roger
paused, shaken and breathless. There was the scramble of little
footsteps behind him and Roger turned to look. Peter, packless and
breathing hard, was following him. Roger drew his shirt sleeves across
his eyes. He knew that Gustav and Dick had pulled him away from Ernest.
How much he had injured Ernest he did not know, nor, for th