"Oh, that's easy enough!" said Hammond, nonchalantly crossing one leg over the other. "I went at the request of the president of the road." Bill grinned. "You sold the railroad the land he was trespassing on, didn't you?" Thomas broke in with an endeavor to show that the question was irrelevant, but Townsend, knowing Bill's natural acumen, felt that the question did have some real connection with the case. "Mr. Thomas," he said, "you and your witness have been accused of conspiracy. If I were you, I would allow him to answer Mr. Jones." Thomas knew that he was sparring for his life and he didn't intend to let the question get by if he could help it, so he tried another subterfuge. "Your Honor," he deplored, his voice hoarse with anger, "I don't propose to defend the witness and myself from such a ridiculous charge at this time. We are not on trial. This is a divorce action." He glared at Marvin, pulling his cuffs angrily, in a way that he had, down over his wrists. But the judge's opinion was unchanged. "If there is any conspiracy about this action, the court wants to know it. Answer the question." With an insulting drawl, Hammond did as he was bid. "I purchased the property for the railroad, acting as their agent." "Who did you buy it from?" Bill snapped. "Mr. Thomas." "When did you buy it?" asked Bill. "About ten months ago." Bill's shoulders straightened at Hammond's reply and he drew himself together with a quick shrug, taking a swift step forward and peering into Hammond's face. "That was three months before you bought mother's place?" he asked. "Yes," jerked Hammond, sulkily. "Then, why did you say you had never met him until you met him at the hotel?" Hammond started, alarm in the quick glance that traveled from Bill to Raymond Thomas. He realized he had overstepped himself. Thinking the better plan would be to brave it out, he bellowed: "Because I never did!" Bill smiled at him and said, in his slow, gentle monotone: "You bought all that land of him and never saw him about it?" He looked up at the judge and laughed. "And he called _me_ a liar!" Hammond got up, but Bill detained him. "Don't go away," he admonished, with a jaunty toss of his head. "We got some more for you, 'ain't we?" and he looked at Marvin, who smiled in approval. "I've got a good one for him!" Bill went on. "You know the railroad company leased the waterfall on mother's place and put a power-plant there?" "I believe they have," said Hammond, impatiently. "And you know that the railroad pays you more for that lease in a month than you agreed to give mother in a year?"