elf balked and his dreams of judgment and lien
permanently banished to the limbo of lost hopes.

Wiley's over-prompt payment had confused Blount for the moment and
thrown him into a panic. He had counted confidently upon crushing him
at a blow and cutting short his inimical activities, but now of a
sudden he found himself threatened with the loss of all his interests.
If Wiley had made profits beyond his calculations--but no, he could
not, for under the terms of their bond and lease one-tenth of the net
profit on all his shipments was sent direct to Blount. And if what
Wiley had received was only ten times the Company's royalty, he was
still in debt to someone. Blount had followed him closely and he knew
that his expenses had absorbed all his profits, up to date. But
perhaps--and Blount paused--perhaps the other bank, or some outside
parties, were backing him in his enterprise. He would have to look
that matter up--first. But if not--if he was still running his mine as
he had from the first, on his nerve and his diamond ring--then there
were ways and means which should be speedily invoked to prevent him
from meeting his payments.

Scarcely a month remained before the bond and lease lapsed--and Wiley's
option on Blount's personal stock--but any day he might raise the money
and, by taking over Blount's stock, place him out of the running for
good. These tungsten buyers who were so avid for its product might
purchase an interest in the mine; they might advance the fifty thousand
and take it over under the bond and lease, and bring all his plans to
naught. As Blount paced about the office he suddenly saw himself
defrauded of that which he had worked for for years. He saw his stock
bought up first, to deprive him of the royalties, and then the mine
snatched from his hands; and all he would have left would be the
forfeited Huff stock and the small payment it would earn from the sale.
Something would have to be done, and done every minute, to prevent him
from carrying out his purpose.

Blount paused in his nervous pacing and held out a flabby hand to Wiley,
who was writing away at his desk.

"Well, Wiley," he said, "I guess I must be going. But any time you need
money----" He stopped and smiled amiably, in the soft, easy way he had
when he wished to appear harmless as a dove, and Wiley glanced up
briefly from his work.

"Yes, thank you, Mr. Blount," he said. But he did not take his hand.

CHAPTER XXIV

DOUBLE TR