It was a beautiful, balmy morning when he walked down Spring Street in the custody of the two detectives, a morning such as only Los Angeles can boast of--tempered by ocean breezes, and with the air heavy with the perfume of orange blossoms. Nash drank deep of the sunshine; how marvelous it seemed; doubly so now, when his liberty might be but a question of---- Before they reached the new city hall on South Broadway a half dozen newspaper men were trailing them; a camera or two appeared. Somehow, the news of Nash’s arrest and the expected upheaval in Camp Forty-seven had reached the ears of the vigilant press. The chimes on the city-hall tower were striking eleven when Nash finally took the seat set aside for him in the big directors’ room. The majority of the engineers were gathered about the long table, waiting. Nash was surprised to see at the far end the familiar face of Jim Sigsbee. The politician had evidently decided to forego his proposed trip to San Francisco and remain on the scene. The preliminaries were brief and to the point. “Our private detective in this affair, Miss Breen, has not shown up,” the spokesman of the board announced gravely, “but we can proceed. The prisoner is probably aware of the nature of the crime for which he has been arrested.” Nash admitted that he understood. The president of the board continued: “What have you to say in your defense, Mr. Nash?” Nash got to his feet and calmly faced the assembly. “Upon my arrival in this city, gentlemen, I happened upon a letter directed to a Mr. Hooker, at that time the foreman of Camp Forty-seven. The man to whom the note was issued did not care for the position. As no names were mentioned, I took the letter, gave it to Mr. Hooker, and was engaged.” “This letter,” interrupted the president, “was written by whom?” “By Mr. Sigsbee.” Finding himself the center of all eyes, Sigsbee nodded. “I remember giving a letter to a man who claimed to be an Eastern engineer,” he explained. “He pleaded so hard for a position that I offered him a chance on Camp Forty-seven.” Nash was asked to continue. “I began in the camp as a sort of clerk,” he said. “After a week, because I proved my value, I was made a subforeman, and given charge of the conduit construction. One day, when Mr. Hooker was--ill, I helped the city inspector check over the pay roll. Having kept a memorandum of my own, I found it differed from the foreman’s statement to the extent of being just about half of the amount that----” Sigsbee was instantly upon his feet. “That’s a lie, gentlemen!” he cried. “You all know me better than that. Why, it was at my instigation that this engineer was charged with----”