and got
away. They caught him again, and Judge Emerson fixed his bail at ten
thousand. Someone furnished the bail that same night, and Hedin has
skipped out, slick and clean. They sure put one over on McNabb--ten
thousand for bail, twenty thousand to divide between them, and McNabb
is holding the bag."

"And we'll leave him holding the bag again," grinned Wentworth.

"That's what we will. He's been a hard man to down. I don't mind
saying it to you, I've laid for him ever since I've been in Terrace
City, and I've never been able to get him. Several times I've thought
I had him, but he always managed to wriggle out someway. But now he
seems to have let down all of a sudden. Either his luck has deserted
him, or he has begun to break."

"You are pretty sure he will not be here to-morrow?"

Orcutt nodded. "Dead sure. You were right about his believing that he
has till the first of August on those options. I overheard him telling
Bronson on the golf links that he had to be in Canada on August first,
and that he would leave about the middle of July."

XIX

After breakfast on the morning of the first of July, Orcutt and Cameron
repaired to the cabin where, with the rough pine table littered with
maps, they discussed the terms and conditions of the contract of sale.
While Wentworth, palpably nervous, paced the clearing; his eyes were
upon the trails that led into the forest, and out upon the lake, for a
sign of a canoe from the southward.

When at last the pros and cons had all been threshed over, clauses
inserted, and clauses struck out, Orcutt drew from his pocket a heavy
gold watch, and snapping it open, detached it from its chain and laid
it upon the table between them. "Half past eleven," he announced. "I
suppose you insist upon waiting until the uttermost minute ticks to its
close."

"Yes," answered Cameron. "McNabb's options hold good until twelve
o'clock."

"I am anxious to get back," said Orcutt, offering his cigar case, "but
I don't want to return without having a look at the mill site. How far
is it from here?"

"About forty miles. If you leave here right after noon you will make
it before noon to-morrow."

"I'll do it, and return the following day."

The two men smoked with their eyes upon the minute hand that slowly
crept toward twelve. Now and then Cameron's glance strayed through the
window toward the trading post, as though he half expected to see John
McNabb step to its do