"

"But I may be interfering with your other friend, Louis Wheeler."

"I shall soon be through with him. You needn't worry yourself about
that."

Mr. Pettigrew insisted upon Rodney's taking supper with him. Fifteen
minutes after Rodney left him Mr. Wheeler made his appearance.

CHAPTER XXIII.

MR. WHEELER HAS A SET BACK.

Louis Wheeler had not seen Rodney in the hotel office, and probably
would not have recognized him if he had, as Rodney was quite differently
dressed from the time of their first meeting. He had no reason to
suppose, therefore, that Mr. Pettigrew had been enlightened as to his
real character.

It was therefore with his usual confidence that he accosted his
acquaintance from Montana after supper.

"It is time to go to the theater, Mr. Pettigrew," he said.

Jefferson Pettigrew scanned his new acquaintance with interest. He
had never before met a man of his type and he looked upon him as a
curiosity.

He was shrewd, however, and did not propose to let Wheeler know that he
understood his character. He resolved for the present to play the part
of the bluff and unsuspecting country visitor.

"You are very kind, Mr. Wheeler," he said, "to take so much trouble for
a stranger."

"My dear sir," said Wheeler effusively, "I wouldn't do it for many
persons, but I have taken a fancy to you."

"You don't mean so?" said Pettigrew, appearing pleased?

"Yes, I do, on my honor."

"But I don't see why you should. You are a polished city gentleman and I
am an ignorant miner from Montana."

Louis Wheeler looked complacent when he was referred to as a polished
city gentleman.

"You do yourself injustice, my dear Pettigrew," he said in a patronizing
manner. "You do indeed. You may not be polished, but you are certainly
smart, as you have shown by accumulating a fortune."

"But I am not as rich as you."

"Perhaps not, but if I should lose my money, I could not make another
fortune, while I am sure you could. Don't you think it would be a good
plan for us to start a business together in New York?"

"Would you really be willing to go into business with me?"

Jefferson Pettigrew asked this question with so much apparent sincerity
that Wheeler was completely deceived.

"I've got him dead!" he soliloquized complacently.

He hooked his arm affectionately in the Montana miner's and said,
"My dear friend, I have never met a man with whom I would rather
be associated in business than with you. How