"How'm I going to use Tecolote?" he blurted out at last. "It's tied
up, until I can find that girl!"

"Not necessarily," she replied. "We who live by the Street learn to
use our enemies as well as our friends. You will never whip Stoddard
as long as you stand off and refuse to sit in on the game. Isn't his
vote as good as your friend, the typist's? Then use it to put Tecolote
on the market. You know what I mean--to vote Tecolote commons and get
the stakes on the board. Then while this scramble is on and he's
fighting the Hackmeisters, buy Tecolote and get your control."

"Fine and dandy!" mocked Rimrock. "You're right, I'm a sucker; and
it's a shame to take my money. But I don't want any Tecolote Commons."

"Why not?" she challenged, laughing gayly at his vehemence. "Are you
afraid to play the game?"

"Not so you'd notice it," answered Rimrock grimly, "but I never play
the other fellow's game. The Tecolote game is going to be played in
Arizona, where my friends can see fair play. But look at Navajoa, how
balled up that company is with its stocks all scattered around. Until
it comes in for transfer nobody knows who's got it. They may be sold
clear out and never know it. No, I may look easy, but I've been
dog-bit once and I've got the leg to show for it. To issue that stock
we'd have to call in the lawyers and go through some reorganization
scheme; and by the time we got through, with Miss Fortune gone, I'd
find myself badly left. There'll be no lawyers for me, and no common
stock. I know another way to win."

He paused and as she failed to ask what it was, he grunted and lit
another cigarette.

"I wonder," she began after a thoughtful pause, "if Stoddard doesn't
know where she is."

She had guessed it as surely as if he had stated his plan--he still
hoped to find Mary Fortune. And then? Well, his plan was a little
nebulous right there; but Mary held the necessary stock. If he could
get control, in any way whatsoever, of that one per cent. of the stock
he could laugh at Stoddard and take his dividends to carry on his fight
in coppers. He had neglected her before, but this time it would be
different; she could have anything she asked. And his detectives were
hunting for her everywhere.

"Don't know," he answered after a dogged silence. "Why? what makes you
think he does?"

She laughed.

"You don't know Mr. Stoddard as well as I do. He's a very successful
man. Very thorough. If _he