Mern went on with his reading, portraying the character of Latisan as Miss Kennard had gathered and assimilated data. She had even gone to the extent of giving Latisan a black mustache and evil eyes. "Hold on," objected Craig. "Nothing was said about his looks. She's picking that up because I was strong on how he had acted. He doesn't look as savage as he is; he fools a lot of folks that way," stated Craig, in surly tones. "Well, how will I know when I meet up with him in the woods?" "You go to the Adonia tavern and make your headquarters, and you won't miss him. How does the thing look to you as a proposition?" demanded Craig, solicitously. "You ought to know pretty well what you can do with men, by this time." Miss Elsham tossed away her cigarette butt and referred mutely to Mern by a wave of her hand. "She always gets 'em--gets the better of the best of 'em. Rest easy," said the chief. "And it must be worked easy," warned Craig, catching at the word. "That's why you're in it, Miss Elsham, instead of its being a man's fight up there. We can't afford to let Latisan slam that drive down through our logs, as he threatens to do. If he does it--if we turn on Flagg and sue for damages, as we can do, of course--court action will only bring out a lot of stuff that better be kept covered. I want the agency to understand fully, Mern!" "We're on." "I'm achieving results without showing all the details to the home office. And I'm not a pirate. You spoke of kicking a cripple, Mern. We'll take over Flagg's logs as soon as he gets reasonable. His fight is only an old notion about the independents sticking on. Sawmills are in our way these days. Flagg is done, anyway. He ought to be saved from himself. I'm after Latisan. He's ready to fight and to ruin Flagg," declared Mr. Craig, with a fine assumption of righteous desire to aid a fallen foe, "just to carry out his grudge against me--using Flagg's property as his tool. It'll be too bad. So get busy, Miss Elsham--and keep him busy--off the drive." "Read on, Chief," she implored Mern. "I'm seeing as quick as this just how I'll do it." The conference continued. When Miss Elsham departed she stopped in the main office on her way out. "Good-by, girls! I'm off for the big sticks. I'll bring each of you a tree." She went to a mirror, taking out her vanity case. Beside the mirror were hooks for hats and outer garments. "Perfect dream!" she commented, examining a hat. "Whose?" "Mine," said Miss Leigh. Miss Elsham took the hat in admiring hands, dislodging a green toque, which fell upon the floor. She did not notice the mishap to the toque and left it where it had fallen. She touched up her countenance and went away. "Your hat is on the floor," Miss Leigh informed Miss Kennard. The girl did not reply; she was looking down upon the keys of her typewriter, and her demeanor suggested that her heart was on the floor, too.