mighty short order," Browning
prophesied. "I never yet saw a fellow go after trouble and return
without finding what he sought. Mr. Badger is not the only fellow who
goes pawing round with his hair standing and blood in his eye."

"Speaking from experience, Browning?" mildly inquired Bink Stubbs,
scratching a match to light a cigarette. "You have gone in search of
trouble a few times, to my knowledge."

"And you're searching for it now!" grunted Browning, giving the little
fellow a warning look.

All unaware of the fact that his rapid transit across the campus had
occasioned unusual comment, Badger hurried on, and finally entered a car
which took him to the office of Fairfax Lee.

"Is Mr. Lee in?" he asked of the clerk in the outer room.

"Yes."

"Will you give him my card, please, and tell him I should like to see
him a few minutes?"

The clerk took the card and disappeared. He was back immediately.

"Mr. Lee says that he cannot see you, sir!"

"Did he say that he is engaged?"

"No, sir. He does not care to see you!"

The Westerner's dark face burned, and he bit his lip to keep the hot
words from rushing out in a torrent. He stood for a moment, hesitating.
But a door separated him, he believed, from Mr. Lee. He was almost ready
to push open that door and confront Lee and demand an explanation of the
letter forbidding him to see Winnie again. But he got the better of
himself, and walked out of the office.

"If he thinks he can bluff me out, or freeze me out, he don't know me!"
he grated, as he turned away. "I shall see Winnie as often as I can.
Hanged if I don't go up there right now!"

With the Kansan, to think was to act. And in a few minutes he was in
another car speeding toward the home of the Lees.

"If I don't get to see her, perhaps I can find out something about this
mess from Inza or Elsie. They may be able to clear away the mystery. I
allow I never was in so horrible a snarl in my life. But I'll punch
Pike's head for this, and don't you forget it! That's whatever!"

But the Westerner met quite as chilling a reception at Lee's home as at
the office. The servant who met him at the door had received her
instructions.

"You are not to be admitted to the house," she said sharply.

"Is Miss Lee in?" he persisted.

"No."

"Is that true, or is it one of the society lies which declares that a
lady is out when she is in?" he bluntly demanded.

To this there was no answer. The servant began to