they would have
seen him as he flew past the gateway. Where had he come from, then? From
the peep-hole where Ransom himself had stood a few minutes before. No
other conclusion was possible, and Ransom felt both angry and anxious
till he could find out who the man was. This he did not succeed in doing
till he reached the hotel. There a bicycle leaning against a tree gave
point to his questions, and he learned that it belonged to a clerk in one
of the small stores near by, but that the man who had just ridden it up
and down the road on a trial of speed was the stranger who had just come
to town with Mr. Hazen.

CHAPTER XXI

ON THE CARS

This episode, which to Ransom's mind would bear but one interpretation,
gave him ample food for thought. He decided to be more circumspect in the
future and to keep an eye out for inquisitive strangers. Not that he had
any thing to conceal, but no man enjoys having his proceedings watched,
especially where a woman is concerned.

That Hazen was antagonistic to him he had always known; but that he was
regarded by him with suspicion he had not realized till now. Hazen
suspicious of _him_! that meant what? He wished that he had Mr. Harper
at his side to enlighten him.

It was now five o'clock and he was sitting in his room awaiting the usual
report from the river, when a quick tap at his door was followed by the
entrance of the very man he was thinking about. He rose eagerly to
receive him, determined, however, to allow no inconsiderate impulse to
drive him into unnecessary speech.

"I have already said too much," he reminded himself in self-directed
monition. "It's time he did some of the talking."

Hazen seemed willing enough to do this. Taking the seat proffered him, he
opened the conversation as follows:

"Mr. Ransom, I have been doing you an injustice. I do not consider it
necessary to tell you just how I have found this out, but I am now
convinced that you are as much in the dark as myself in regard to this
unfortunate affair, and are as willing as I am to take all justifiable
means to enlighten yourself. I own that at first I thought it more than
probable you were in collusion with the girl here to deceive me. That I
wouldn't stand. I'm glad to find you as truly a victim of this mystery as
myself."

Ransom straightened himself.

"If this is an apology," he returned, "I am willing to accept it in the
spirit in which it is proffered. But I should like something more t