d mean. He was
brought back from it, however, by the necessity of getting Roy out of
the way.

"I wonder how I can do it?" he murmured.

At present Caleb Annister could see no way of bringing this about. He
decided to go out for dinner, thinking, perhaps, some plan might occur
to him.

As he was walking along the street he almost collided with a man who
was hurrying along in the opposite direction.

"I beg your pardon!" exclaimed Mr. Annister.

"Certainly. My fault entirely," replied the other. "I--why, if it
isn't Caleb Annister," he went on. "How are you?"

"Phelan Baker!" cried Mr. Annister, in a tone of surprise. "I thought
you were out West."

"I was, but I arrived in New York this morning."

"And how are Sutton and Hynard?" went on Mr. Annister. "I haven't seen
them since that affair of--"

"Hush! Don't mention such things in public," cautioned Mr. Baker, for
what Mr. Annister referred to was a swindling game in which Baker and
his cronies had been involved, and the discovery of which had made it
necessary for them to leave the city awhile.

"The boys are all right," went on Mr. Baker. "Tupper is with them. In
fact they came on to New York with me. We were delayed on the road."
He did not say this was caused by the necessity for fleeing after
robbing Mortimer De Royster. "We're at the same hotel. By the way,"
he went on, "you couldn't lend me fifty dollars; could you? I'm short,
and the boys have very little. We haven't had any luck lately. I'd
like fifty dollars for a few days. Can you let me have it?"

"I'm sorry," began Mr. Annister. "I'd like to, but the truth is I have
some heavy bills to meet, and people who owe me money, have not paid
me. Otherwise--"

"Well, perhaps I can get it somewhere else," said Mr. Baker. In fact
he had very little hope, when he made the request of Mr. Annister, that
he would get the loan. The real estate agent was known to be very
"close", seldom lending money, though he was quite well off.

"I'd like to accommodate you," went on Caleb Annister, brightening up,
when he saw that Mr. Baker was not going to press the matter, "but you
see how it is."

"You haven't any work that you want done; have you?" asked the man who
had helped to rob Mortimer De Royster, and who had tried unsuccessfully
to rob and swindle Roy. "We could do almost anything you wanted done,
if you paid us for it. None of us have anything in view to get a few
dollars at."

S