to me, and your
farcical marriage stands directly opposed to my plans. But I would not
violate the law and commit a misdemeanor to drive you off. You have
reasons for believing that Mr. Sawyer--"

"Yes, he was the organizer."

"But not with my sanction, sir."

"No? But perhaps not without your knowledge."

"Sir!"

"Keep your seat. Now I am going to tell you what I believe. I believe
that Sawyer came to you, after I had burned the check, and told you
what he intended to do."

"He did, and I told him not to do it."

"Ah. But did you go to the law and enter a protest against an outrage
which you knew he was going to commit? Did you send me a word of
warning or did you quietly wait in the hope that the result might rid
you of me?"

"Mr. Lyman, I am going to tell you the absolute truth. I advised
against it, and after he was gone, I went out to look for him, but he
had driven down into the country to--"

"To organize his mob," Lyman suggested.

"Well, yes, we will say that he had gone for that purpose. And at
night I came down town in the rain to see if I could not find him, and
when I failed in this, I thought that I would come up here to warn
you." He hesitated, with a slight cough.

"But you didn't come."

"No, not all the way. I halted on the stairs and turned back. I felt
that I--" He hesitated.

"You felt that you could not afford to antagonize Mr. Sawyer."

McElwin coughed. "It was not exactly that, Mr. Lyman. But I did think
that it was meddling with something that--that did not concern me."

"Didn't concern you? I thought you were deeply concerned, enough at
least to feel yourself warranted in attempting to buy me, to hire me
to leave."

"You don't quite understand, Mr. Lyman."

"Oh, yes I do. The trouble with you is that I understand too well. Go
ahead with your absolute truth."

McElwin cleared his husky throat. "I went home, sir, and passed a most
anxious night; I suffered, sir, far more than you did."

"No doubt of that. I enjoyed myself."

"Mr. Lyman, will you please not make a joke of this affair."

"Oh, I won't make a joke of it. It will be earnest enough by the time
it is over with. I am informed that Mrs. Sawyer is very old and that
to introduce her son's name in connection with the White Caps would
greatly distress her, and I have resolved not to do this. But there
are punishments, moral lessons to be served out, and I think it well
to begin with you."

"Mr. Lyman, we are not