go and see."

"Come on," said Bob.

XXXVIII

The two men found Baker seated behind his flat-top desk. He grinned
cheerfully at them; and, to Bob's surprise, greeted him with great
joviality.

"All hail, great Chief!" he cried. "I've had my scalp nicely
smoke-tanned for you, so you won't have to bother taking it." He bowed
to Orde. "I'm glad to see you, sir," said he. "Know you by your picture.
Please be seated."

Bob brushed the levity aside.

"I've come," said he, "to get an explanation from you as to why, in the
first place, you had me kidnapped; and why, in the second place, you
tried to get me murdered."

Baker's mocking face became instantly grave; and, leaning forward, he
hit the desk a thump with his right fist.

"Orde," said he, "I want you to believe me in this: I never was more
sorry for anything in my life! I wouldn't have had that happen for
anything in the world! If I'd had the remotest idea that Oldham
contemplated something of that sort, I should have laid very positive
orders on him. He said he had something on you that would keep your
mouth shut, but I never dreamed he meant gun play."

"I don't suppose you dreamed he meant kidnapping either," observed Bob.

Baker threw himself back with a chuckle.

"Being kidnapped is fine for the health," said he. "Babies thrive on it.
No," he continued, again leaning forward gravely, "Oldham got away from
his instructions completely. Shooting or that kind of violence was
absurd in such a case. You mustn't lay that to me, but to his personal
grudge."

"What do you know of a personal grudge?" Bob flashed back.

"Ab-so-lute-ly nothing; but I suspected. It's part of my job to be a
nifty young suspector--and to use what I guess at. He just got away from
me. As for the rest of it, that's part of the game. This is no croquet
match; you must expect to get your head bumped if you play it. I play
the game."

"I play the game, too," returned Bob, "and I came here to tell you so.
I'll take care of myself, but I want to say that the moment you offer
any move against Welton, I shall bring in my testimony against both of
you on this bribery matter."

"Sapient youth!" said Baker, amused; "did that aspect of it just get to
you? But you misinterpreted the spirit of my greeting when you came in
the room. In words of one syllable, you've got us licked. We lie down
and roll over. We stick all four paws in the air. We bat our august
forehead against the floor.