ters worse, the crest of the wave had passed, the boom was
nearly over, and money was no longer easy. Outside investors were
cooling; mysterious and powerful influences were at work, and there
were rumors of a break in the price of crude. Meanwhile, so far as the
Nelsons were concerned, it was necessary to pour a steady stream of
dollars into the earth in order to save that which had been
accomplished at immense cost, and such oil as their producing wells
gave forth was swallowed up in other holes. It became, with them, a
problem of how to hold on, how to finance from day to day until
production returns overtook exploitation expense--a problem that put
gray hairs in their heads and lines about their eyes. They were forced
to many expedients.

How they managed it at all baffled Gray, and worried him, too, for he
knew that if ever they turned the corner they would be safe from him,
and his vengeance would fall [Illustration: NEVER HAD HE FELT "BOB" TO
BE SO CLOSE TO HIM AS ON THIS DAY] to the ground. One big well would
set them up, and there was always that danger, for scarcely a week went
by without news of some gigantic gusher. Knowing all there was to know
about their field activities, he set himself to the task of learning
more about the bank itself and about their method of operating it. This
was a task, indeed, and he spent much time at it--time he could ill
afford, by the way, for he, too, had about exhausted his last resource.

He was surprised one day to receive from Roswell, the banker who had
first backed him, an almost peremptory summons to Dallas. Gray had made
much money for Roswell and his crowd; they were still heavily
interested with him, and he was counting upon their further support.
The tone of this letter, therefore, gave him a disagreeable shock. On
the whole, however, he was glad of an excuse to go, for the Briskows
had returned and had bought a home in Dallas, and he was eager for a
sight of them.

Mr. Roswell's greeting was quite as cool as his letter; but he betrayed
a keen interest in the progress of their joint affairs and asked a good
many searching questions. Gray answered frankly.

"You surprise me," the banker announced, finally, "for you confirm
something I did not wish to believe. I have just learned that you are
using us to further a private grudge and to ruin a reputable man. I
couldn't credit such a statement without--"

"It is quite true, except that I haven't 'used' you. Not, at