"Graham didn't know the facts. If you was a capitalist an' thinkin' of loanin' big money to a man you found out had been in prison for manslaughter and that he had since been accused of robbin' a stage an' killing the driver--" "He was in a hurry," explained Dave. "Going East to-morrow. Some one must have got at him after I saw him. He'd made up his mind when I went back to-day." "Well, Horace Graham ain't one of those who won't change his views for heaven, hell, and high water. All we've got to do is to get to him and make him see the light," said West. "When are we going to do all that?" asked Sanders. "He's busy every minute of the time till he starts. He won't give us an appointment." "He'll see me. We're old friends," predicted West confidently. Crestfallen, he met the two officers of the Jackpot Company three hours later. "Couldn't get to him. Sent word out he was sorry, an' how was Mrs. West an' the children, but he was in conference an' couldn't break away." Dave nodded. He had expected this and prepared for it. "I've found out he's going on the eight o'clock flyer. You going to be busy to-morrow, Mr. West?" "No. I got business at the stockyards, but I can put it off." "Then I'll get tickets for Omaha on the flyer. Graham will take his private car. We'll break in and put this up to him. He was friendly to our proposition before he got the wrong slant on it. If he's open-minded, as Mr. West says he is--" Crawford slapped an open hand on his thigh. "Say, you get the _best_ ideas, son. We'll do just that." "I'll check up and make sure Graham's going on the flyer," said the young man. "If we fall down we'll lose only a day. Come back when we meet the night train. I reckon we won't have to get tickets clear through to Omaha." "Fine and dandy," agreed West. "We'll sure see Graham if we have to bust the door of his car." CHAPTER XXX ON THE FLYER West, his friends not in evidence, artfully waylaid Graham on his way to the private car. "Hello, Henry B. Sorry I couldn't see you yesterday," the railroad builder told West as they shook hands. "You taking this tram?" "Yes, sir. Got business takes me East." "Drop in to see me some time this morning. Say about noon. You'll have lunch with me." "Suits me. About noon, then," agreed West. The conspirators modified their plans to meet a new strategic situation. West was still of opinion that he had better use his card of entry to get his friends into the railroad builder's car, but he yielded to Dave's view that it would be wiser for the cattleman to pave the way at luncheon. Graham's secretary ate lunch with the two old-timers and the conversation threatened to get away from West and hover about financial conditions in New York. The cattleman brought it by awkward main force to the subject he had in mind. "Say, Horace, I wanta talk with you about a proposition that's on my chest," he broke out.