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and there followed the peculiar padded footfalls of Railroad Jones. Both young persons turned at the same time.

"Papa," called Adelaide, "here's Abner to see you."

Came a pause, then the heavy footsteps padded on and the magnate's buzzing voice said, "Tell him to come in the liberry. I'm come after them little vouchers for the trile, Addy."

Adelaide started forward impulsively with Abner, then said, "No, maybe you'd better see him by yourself. I'll wait here," and she squeezed his hand sympathetically and patted his back before she loosed him.

Teeftallow hurried through two rooms into the library with its bookcases, cabinet of minerals, and electric spray. The fat man was stooping over a drawer of the library table stuffing an endless number of papers in a stout meal sack. He lifted his great face as the youth entered.

"Hello, Abner. I hear you got hurt. I shore am sorry. Did it fracture yore skull any?"

"No, I'm all right, Mr. Jones. I've come about Jim. He's over there in jail goin' through hell before he's dead. How much do you owe him?"

The ponderous man paused in his work and reflected with an expressionless face.

"Aroun' thirty thousan', Abner."

"Well, if you paid that off at once, wouldn't that git him out of his trouble?"

"Nachelly, Abner."

"Fuh God's sake, do it, then, Mr. Jones. If you don't he's goin' to lose his office an' his home, an pore Miss Haly is jest heartbroken. Have you ever been in that jail, why it smells like a backhouse and looks like an animal cage."

The fat man twisted up the end of his sack and set it on the thick carpet.

"Abner," he said in his stewing voice, "do you think I don't appreciate you gettin' shot in the head fer me an' my railroad?"

"Why—I don't know—I suppose you do."