seen and recognized him. Well, that was
the way his luck had run, lately--every break against him.

Now--Gray's shoulders lifted in a shrug of resignation--there was
nothing to do except wave aside the blindfold and face the firing squad
like an officer and a gentleman. But it was a pity that the crash had
come so soon; fortune might have given him at least a short interval of
grace. Haviland was probably in a cold rage at the discovery of the
fraud, and Gray could only hope that he wouldn't get noisy over it, for
scenes were always annoying and sometimes they ran to unfortunate
lengths.

There was a curious brightness to the imposter's eyes, a reckless,
mocking smile upon his lips, when he stepped into the manager's office
and stood beside the desk. He declined Haviland's invitation to be
seated--it seemed more fitting that a man should take sentence on his
feet.

"Have you seen the Post?" the manager inquired.

"No."

Haviland handed him a copy of the leading afternoon paper, and Gray's
eyes flashed to the headline of an article reading:

CALVIN GRAY, HERO OF SENSATIONAL EXPLOITS, IN DALLAS ADVENTURES READ
LIKE PAGE OF ROMANCE FAMOUS FINANCIER ADMITS LARGE OIL INTERESTS BEHIND
HIM

From the opening paragraph Gray judged that he had impressed the
reporter even more deeply than he had supposed, but he took no
satisfaction there from, for Haviland was saying:

"I've read the whole story, but I want you to tell me something more
about yourself."

"What do you wish to know?"

"Were you in France?"

Over the visitor's face there came a subtle change. Whereas, upon
entering, he had worn an expression of careless defiance, now he
appeared to harden in every fiber and to go on guard.

"I have been many times in France."

"I mean during the war. Did you serve?"

There was a pause. "I did." Gray's eyes remained fixed upon his
interrogator, but they had begun to smolder.

"Then you're Colonel Gray. Colonel Calvin Gray."

"Quite so." The speaker's voice was harsh, and it came with an effort.
"But you didn't read _that_ in the _Post_. Come! What's the idea? Out
with it."

The interview had taken an unexpectedly disagreeable turn. Gray had
anticipated an unpleasant moment or two, but this--well, it was indeed
the crash. Calamity had overtaken him from the very quarter he had
least expected and most dreaded, and his mind raced off at a tangent; a
dozen unwelcome queries presented themselves.

"Strange what