or Orcutt's. But, the matter will never reach
the courts. There is no question of a technical error in the contract,
because there is no contract. The instrument I drew, and which was
signed by Orcutt and myself, has no legal existence. No valid contract
could have been drawn relative to the disposal of those lands until the
options held by Mr. McNabb had expired----"

"But they had expired!" cried Wentworth. "They expired at twelve
o'clock, noon, of July first, and the contract was not signed until two
or three minutes after twelve."

"By Orcutt's watch," retorted Cameron. "And Orcutt's watch was an hour
faster than official time. I had no reason to suppose his watch was
wrong, and believed the time had expired, until I was confronted, after
your departure, by the accredited representative of McNabb. I was
dumbfounded until I established the fact that he was within his rights
in tendering payment and closing the transaction for his principal.
Then there was no course open to me but to accept McNabb's money and
conclude the transfer to him. Murchison, here, is a witness, that the
facts are as I have stated them."

Wentworth's eyes flew to the face of the factor, who nodded
emphatically. Again the color left his face. "It's a damned trick!"
he muttered. "Why didn't you notify us at once, instead of waiting
nearly three weeks and allowing us to spend more than a million
dollars?"

"Orcutt told me he would return to the post in two days. I waited, and
when a week went by I used every means in my power to reach him. I
followed him by train. I learned his address and wired the facts to
his bank. The fault is his own. I am sorry you have lost so
heavily----"

"It isn't my money," Wentworth cried savagely. Then he suddenly
paused, and for upwards of thirty seconds the room was in dead silence.
When he spoke again, it was in a voice palpably held in control.

"I guess you have got us," he said. "There seems to be nothing for me
to do but accept the money." He held out his hand as Cameron slowly
counted out the big bills. Then without recounting, Wentworth thrust
them into his pocket, and with quick, nervous strokes of his pen signed
the receipt which Cameron placed before him. Then in a voice trembling
with suppressed rage he faced McNabb. "Damn you!" he cried. "I
thought--Orcutt said you were beginning to slip!"

"Well, maybe he's right," admitted McNabb, and the engineer saw that
his lips twit