"Because he has always distrusted my judgment, and because he is loyal to Mr. North, whom he has made my superior. Mr. North tells him that I am to blame." "But it must be a very dreadful condition of things, if what Mr. Frisbie said is all true." "Frisbie spoke of only one little incident. Trouble like this we're having to-day is constantly arising. No money-making graft is too petty or too immoral for the MacMorroghs to connive at. They rob and starve their laborers, and cheat the company with bad work. I've got to have a free hand in dealing with them, or--" He stopped abruptly, realizing that he was talking to her as he might have talked to a specialist in his own profession. Hence he was not disappointed when she said: "You go too fast for me. But I think I understand now why our coming is inopportune. And it's comforting to know that the reason is a business reason." He put shame to the wall and blurted out suddenly: "It is only one of the reasons, Miss Adair. The--the camps are no fit place for a party with women. You--you'll have to be blind and deaf if your uncle persists in taking you with him." It was said, and he was glad of it, though he was wiping the perspiration from his face when the thing was done. She was silent until they were standing at the steps of the side-tracked private car. "Thank you," she said simply. "Of course, I'll do what I can to keep Uncle Sidney from going--and taking us. What shall you say to him?" "I am going to tell him that our track isn't safe for the Nadia--which is true enough." "Very well. I'll tell Aunt Hetty and Mrs. Van Bruce--which may be more to the point. But don't be encouraged by that. I have reason to believe that Uncle Sidney will have his way in spite of any or all of us." XVII A NIGHT OF ALARMS Ford put Miss Alicia up the steps of the Nadia and followed her into the vestibule, meaning to fight it out with Mr. Colbrith on the spot, and hoping he might have a private audience with the president for the doing of it. The hope was not denied. Penfield, who was acting as private secretary to Mr. Colbrith, _en route_, appeared in the passageway to say that Ford was wanted in the president's state-room. "Well, Mr. Ford, what are we waiting for?" was the querulous demand which served as Mr. Colbrith's greeting when Ford presented himself at the door of the private compartment. Ford's reply lacked the deferential note. He had reached a point at which his job was not worth as much as it had been. "I have just brought Miss Adair back from the top of the pass, where we met Mr. Frisbie, my chief of construction. I wished to ask him if he thought the track was safe for your car, and he says, most emphatically, that it is not. I can not take the responsibility of sending the Nadia to the end-of-track."