confess to himself
that his course of action looked very different under Firmstone's
analysis than from his own standpoint alone. He drummed his fingers
listlessly on the desk before him. He was all but convinced that he
might have been wrong in his judgment of Firmstone, after all. Then
Pierre's suggestions came to him like a flash.

"You are aware, of course, that I shall have to make a full report of
the accident to the stage to our directors?"

"I made a report of all the facts in the case, at the time. Of course,
if you have discovered other facts, they will have to be given in
addition."

Hartwell continued, paying no attention to Firmstone.

"That in the report which I shall make, I may feel compelled to arrange
my data in such a manner that they will point to a conclusion somewhat
at variance with yours?"

"In which case," interrupted Firmstone; "I shall claim the right to
another and counter statement."

Hartwell looked even more intently at Firmstone.

"In your report you stated positively that there were three thousand,
one hundred and twenty-five ounces of bullion in your shipment; that
this amount was lost in the wreck of the stage."

"Exactly."

Hartwell leaned forward, his eyes still fixed on Firmstone's eyes. Then,
after a moment's pause, he asked, explosively,--

"Was there that amount?"

Firmstone's face had a puzzled look.

"There certainly was, unless I made a mistake in weighing up." His brows
contracted for a moment, then cleared decisively. "That is not possible.
The total checked with my weekly statements."

Hartwell settled back in his chair. There was a look of satisfied
cunning on his face. He had gained his point. He had attacked Firmstone
in an unexpected quarter, and he had flinched. He had no further doubts.
This, however, was not enough. He would press the brimming cup of
evidence to his victim's lips and compel him to drink it to the last
drop.

"Who saw you put the bullion in the safe?"

"No one."

"Then, if the safe is never recovered, we have only your word that the
bullion was put in there, as you stated?"

Firmstone was slowly realising Hartwell's drift. Slowly, because the
idea suggested appeared too monstrous to be tenable. The purple veins on
his forehead were hard and swollen.

"That is all," he said, from between compressed lips.

"Under the circumstances, don't you think it is of the utmost importance
that the safe be recovered?"

"Under any circums