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.“If I had known—if I had dreamed of half of this—I am frank to confess that you could not have interested me in this proposition for the hundredth part of a second.But it will be completed because it is my daughter’s wish.However,” with cold emphasis, “upon my own terms.“You may, or may not know, that the involved affairs of the project leave it practically optional with a new company whether they recognize the claims against former companies or repudiate these debts.“The local claims amount to something like sixty-five thousand dollars, which is a sum of considerable importance, distributed in a town of this size.I had intended to pay these claims in full, largely as a matter of sentiment, presuming that among those affected there were at least a few of my daughter’s friends.What she has said to-night gives the matter a new face.It is now a business proposition with me.I am no philanthropist where my interests or affections are not concerned.“The offer I am about to make you can take or you can leave, but I’ve a notion self-interest will prevail over your temporary pique, since you no doubt realize that unless something is done almost immediately this segregated land will revert to the state.“I will not pay any debts of former companies, and I will take over the controlling stock—not at the figure at which you are holding it, but at what I consider a fair price.I will enlarge the ditch and complete the project so that it will meet every requirement of the state engineers and turn it over to the settlers under it when it has been demonstrated to be a complete success.”They thought he had done, and again looked at each other with deep-drawn breaths, when he resumed:“There is one more condition upon which I insist: It is that in the purchase of the stock I deal with the stockholders direct.There shall be no commission paid to a go-between.” He looked at Toomey as he spoke.“My reason for this is purely personal, but nevertheless my offer rests upon this stipulation.” There was no mistaking the finality of his tone or the cold enmity of his voice.In a night of surprises this seemed the climax.What did it mean, since there had not been the slightest hint that Toomey and Prentiss were not the warmest of friends? In the dramatic silence each could hear his neighbor breathe.Toomey looked stunned, then, as he recovered himself, the vein in his temple swelled and his sallow face darkened to ugly belligerence.“I don’t understand this!” he cried, raising his voice as he endeavored to return Prentiss’s steely gaze with one of defiance.“But I’ll serve notice now that I’ll have the commission to which I’m entitled, or I’ll sue for it and tie the whole thing up!”Gov'nor Sudds started to his feet to voice a hot protest, as did other leading citizens who saw the chance to rehabilitate their fortunes vanish at the threat, but they were overshadowed, overborne by the more vigorous personality of Mr.Teeters, who suddenly dominated the scene from the door of the dining room where he had been listening intently.As if no longer able to contain himself, Teeters strode forward, shaking at Toomey the finger of emphasis:“Then,” he cried, “you’ll do your suin’ from a cell! If I hold in any longer I’m goin’ to choke! I’m goin’ to speak, if she won’t.” He motioned towards Kate.“I want these folks to know what that yella-back has been keepin’ to himself all these years for some reason that only himself and the Almighty knows.He owned the gun that killed Mormon Joe! He sold it to the ‘breed,’ Mullendore! He could have proved Kate Prentiss’s innocence any time he wanted to—and he kept his mouth shut! I’m no legal sharp, but I won’t believe there ain’t some law that’ll put the likes o’ him where he belongs.”Toomey shrank under the attack as though beneath actual blows; he seemed to contract beneath the focused gaze of eyes that contained anger, scorn, in some instances, incredulity.He looked for a moment as though he were going to faint, then he clutched the edge of the table cloth in a convulsive grip, and shouted with an attempt at his old braggadocio:“It’s a lie!”“It’s the truth!” Teeters thundered, opposite.“Mullendore confessed.Anyhow, I’ve got other proof—the original owner of the gun who left it at your house when he was a kid.Feller—come out.”“Disston!” Toomey gasped as Hugh stepped from the semidusk of the corridor into the light
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