was a cocksure individual, Mr. Craig was! In his
hands, by his suggestion, his New York superiors had placed all the
details of business in the field of the north country. He had promised
consolidation with full belief in his ability to perform; one explicit
promise had been that this season would mark the end of the opposition
by the independents; the Comas would secure complete control of the
Toban timber and fix prices. But here were the ringleader Latisans in a
way to smash the corner which Craig had manipulated by bulldozing and
bribery! In the past Craig had not bothered headquarters with any minute
explanations of how he accomplished results. This crusher which
threatened all his plans and promises would make a monkey of him in New
York, he reflected.

"I want to say a last word to you, Mr. Craig," continued Latisan,
stiffly. "Probably we are now in for that fight on which you've been
insisting. I don't want to fight, but I'm ready for a fair stand-up.
Just a moment, please!" Craig had barked a few oaths preliminary to an
outpouring of his feelings. "I'm warning you to let up on those
guerrilla tactics of yours. I propose to find out whether your big men
in New York are backing you. I'm telling you now to your face, so you
can't accuse me later of carrying tales behind your back, of my
intention to go to New York and report conditions to the president of
the Comas."

"Don't you dare!"

"I do dare. I'm going. I expect you to run in ahead of me, but no
matter. And speaking of tales behind a man's back----"

Craig was having difficulty in finding speech for retort; Latisan was
rushing the affair. Again Craig blustered, "Don't you dare!"

"Yes, I do dare. When I went away last summer I had good reasons for
keeping my plans to myself. I got back to the Toban and found slander
accusing me of sporting in the city, deviling around with liquor and
women. That's a damnable lie!"

Latisan delivered the accusation hotly; there was unmistakable challenge
in his demeanor. "You yourself have handed around some of that slander,
Mr. Craig. I get it straight from men whose word is good!"

"I only said what others were saying."

"I don't know, of course, who started those stories, but I do know that
they have been used against me. They have helped you, it seems! I wanted
to keep my plans under cover--but I've got to protect myself with the
truth, even if the truth gives you a tip. I went away to take a special
course in h