has fixed it all up." Elijah insisted.

"You know what that means, as well as I do." Helen's voice was sharper
and more decided.

Elijah was again striding up and down. He looked at his watch, then
snapped it shut and thrust it into his pocket.

"Well, goodnight, Helen, I'll think it over."

"Don't do it. It's dangerous to think about some things."

Helen was alone, walking thoughtfully to her room. Her old mood had
returned with even darker shadows. Why couldn't she act on her own keen
suggestion and stop thinking about dangerous things? This question
occurred to her. Another point suggested itself. Mellin was reading
clearly in Elijah that about which she had only vague presentiments.

CHAPTER TEN

The first brick in Ysleta's speculative row had toppled against its
fellow and the whole line was threatened with collapse. Some worthless
speculator had begun it by trying to "cash in." The news had spread like
wild-fire that the Pacific was to be the first point of attack. There
was no time for aid to reach it from the San Francisco banks, even had
they been disposed to tender assistance. As for the local banks, they
were too busy furling their own sails for the coming storm, to think of
going to the rescue of the storm's first victim.

Early as was the hour, the sharp-lined figures of the depositors jammed
against the closed doors of the bank and faded to dim shadows at the far
end of the line. Men, who a few hours before had bowed with deference to
their fellow men, were now like savage tigers, holding their places with
tooth and claw bared for immediate and merciless action. Woe to the
luckless one who in the jam, was crowded from his position. There was no
hope for him but in the far distance where men were shadows. No word was
spoken. There was no need of words where moonlight gleamed coldly on
shining steel. A hand to hand fight meant the end of the line for the
defender as well as the one who attacked.

Only one thing could have broken the solid ranks. Could any one in that
fierce array of self-seekers have seen a man slink from a half-opened
window in the rear of the bank, creep from shadow to shadow in the
direction of the Rio Vista, and finally disappear within a secluded
arbor, a timid fox in a pack of ravening hounds would have had a better
chance of life than he.

Pale as the moonlight that lay soft and white about him, Elijah stood,
awaiting Mellin.

"I have decided that I cannot take t