He called at the hotel, thinking Latimer might have returned, but Mrs. Latimer pettishly denied any knowledge of his whereabouts. He often went for long walks, she said, and seldom returned until late. "Won't you stay until he returns?" she invited, but Danvers pleaded business. Twice during the afternoon Danvers ran up to the judge's office, but failed to find him until evening. Seeing a light in the inner office, he opened the door and entered. The judge did not look up. He sat with his back to the door, and gazed intently at a revolver, while his hand played idly with the trigger. Danvers stepped forward and silently reached for the weapon. "No, no, Arthur! Not that!" "Phil! You?" Latimer sprang from his chair. "Why--why----" Danvers was shocked at the haggard face. "I ran up from Fort Benton, Arthur, just to see you. I've been looking for you all the afternoon." He gently pushed the trembling man back into his chair. "Why--why did you stop me? It would have been over--now--if----" "Life is not so bad as that, old friend." "Isn't it?" bitterly. "If you----" "I can understand--I know. But you must promise me that you will not attempt this--again." Danvers spoke firmly, feeling that he could never leave his friend if he were not given a pledge. The broken man looked into the kind eyes opposite. "You think me a coward, don't you? I promise." "No," refuted Danvers, warmly. "You are worn out, mentally and physically; that is all. Take a run to the coast with me for a month or two----" Latimer began to laugh, mirthlessly. "I couldn't take a run to Fort Benton, Phil. I haven't a dollar--not a dollar. I'm a ruined man!" "Arthur!" Latimer took a paper-knife and checked off his sentence. His voice was impersonal. "You made a mistake, Phil, when you interrupted me. No, do not speak," he raised his hand. "I was in possession of what sanity I've had since Arthur----" He did not complete the sentence. "I've deliberately decided that a quick shot was the only solution of my problem. Boy gone; home gone; my dearest ambition frustrated; hopelessly in debt----" "I can help you in that." "And disbarment proceedings about to be instituted," finished Latimer. "What!" ejaculated Danvers. "Who will institute them? On what grounds?" "Burroughs. He has trumped up some infamous charge. I got a hint of it only this morning--a straight tip." "He shall not do it! I shall have something to say to him--to the papers. He would not like to have them get hold of Moore's interviews with you and me on the matter of that Supreme Court decision. I----" "Papers!" Latimer threw out his hands with a helpless gesture. "Burroughs _owns_ every paper in the State!" "Well, then, I have another card to play. You leave this matter to me. You are not going under, and you are not going to--die--not yet! Bob will drop the disbarment proceedings, I promise you; and if he is not amenable to reason--why--he does not own the Associated Press!" grimly.