phone.

"He'll be here in a minute," she said and began to straighten out the
papers on her desk. Even to Rimrock Jones, who was far from
systematic, it was evident that she knew her work. Every paper was put
back in its special envelope, and when Abercrombie Jepson came in from
his office she had the bundle back in the safe.

He was a large man, rather fat and with a ready smile, but with a
harried look in his eye that came from handling a thousand details; and
as Rimrock turned and faced him he blinked, for he felt something was
coming.

"Mr. Jepson," began Rimrock in his big, blustering voice, "I want to
have an understanding with you. You're a Stoddard man, but I think
you're competent--you certainly have put things through. But here's
the point--I've taken charge now and you get your orders from me. You
can forget Mr. Stoddard. I'm president and general manager, and
whatever I say goes."

He paused and looked Jepson over very carefully while Mary Fortune
stared.

"Very well, sir," answered Jepson, "I think I understand you. I hope
you are satisfied with my services?"

"We'll see about that later," went on Rimrock, still arrogantly. "I'll
begin my tour of inspection to-day. But I'll tell you right now, so
there won't be any mistake, that all I ask of you is results. You
won't find me kicking about the money you spend as long as it comes
back in ore. You're a competent man, so I've been given to understand,
and, inside your field, you're the boss. I won't fire any of your men
and I won't interfere with your work without having it done through
you; but on the other hand, don't you forget for a single minute that
I'm the big boss on this dump. And whatever you do, don't make the
mistake of thinking you're working for Stoddard. I guess that will be
all. Miss Fortune is going to be a director soon and I've asked her to
go out with us to the mine."

A strange, startled look came over Jepson's face as he received this
last bit of news, but he smiled and murmured his congratulations. Then
he expressed the hope that he would be able to please them and withdrew
with the greatest haste.

"Well!" observed Rimrock as he gazed grimly after him, "I guess that
will hold Mr. Jepson."

"Very likely," returned Mary, "but as a prospective director may I
enquire the reason for this outburst?"

"You may," replied Rimrock. "This man, Abercrombie Jepson, was put
over on me by Stoddard. I had to concede some