Hedin stepped forward and
extended a paper. "I represent John McNabb."

"John McNabb!" cried Cameron, staring at him as though he had taken
leave of his senses. "You mean----"

Hedin interrupted him, speaking crisply. "I mean that this paper, as
you will note, is a power of attorney which gives me authority to
transact any and all business for Mr. McNabb, concerning the purchase
of certain pulp-wood lands."

"Dut, man!" cried Cameron excitedly.

Ignoring the interruption, Hedin continued. "And I hereby, in the
presence of Mr. Murchison, tender payment of ten percent, of the
purchase price, as provided in the terms of the option contract."

"But you're too late!" roared Cameron. "McNabb's options expired at
noon! The land has been sold and payment accepted! Good Lord, man!
Do you mean that McNabb sent you up here to close the deal, and you
deliberately neglected to attend to it until the options had expired?"

"Too late?" smiled Hedin. "What do you mean, too late? The options do
not expire until noon," he paused and glanced up at the clock that
ticked upon the wall, "and it still lacks twenty-five minutes of
twelve."

Cameron stared at the clock. "It is a trick!" he cried. "You turned
the clock back! What time have you, Murchison?"

The factor meticulously consulted his watch. "Twenty-four minutes to
twelve," he announced.

"You are into it, too!"

Murchison smiled. "Look at your own watch," he suggested. "What time
have you got?"

Cameron drew out his timepiece and stared at it blankly. "He laid his
watch on the table between us," he said in a bewildered tone, "and not
until the hands reached twelve were the papers signed and the money
paid."

"What do you mean?" asked Hedin. "The papers signed, and the money
paid?"

"Why Orcutt, president of the Eureka Paper Company, bought the land
after McNabb's options expired. Wentworth is his representative."

"But McNabb's options have not expired," insisted Hedin. "His payment
has been tendered in the presence of a witness before the time of their
expiration. Any sale or contract entered into with Orcutt or anyone
else concerning title to these lands is, of course, void."

Cameron continued to stare at his watch. "I do not understand it," he
muttered.

"I think I do," offered Hedin. "Was it Orcutt's watch you consulted?"

"Yes, he laid it on the table, and we watched the hands mark off the
time."

"And you were an hour fast! Orcutt