“Well, then, somebody has been tampering with our machinery to make it break down. Somebody has been driving nails into our logs to dull our saws. Whoever it is has made us shut down five hours in the last three days.” “You figger somebody’s doin’ it deliberate?” “Yes.” “Got any proof?” Jim laid before the old man such evidence as he had, but it was sufficient. Zaanan wagged his head. “Calc’late there hain’t no doubt of it. Suspect anybody special?” “I haven’t any suspicion who is working the mischief, but I have an idea he isn’t doing it for himself.” “Somebody’s hirin’ him to do it, you mean?” “Yes.” “Who might it be?” “There are only two interests who would have any motive in breaking me. One is the organization of clothespin manufacturers. I’m in a fight with them now because they wanted to run my business. The other is the Diversity Hardwood Company.” “Hum! I figgered from what Welliver said a spell back that he wasn’t tickled to death with you and your doin’s. You hain’t a bit afraid who you’re suspicious of, be you?” “I’ve got to be suspicious of everybody—and I’m going to be till I know who can be trusted.” “Kind of suspected me a mite, eh? Figgered I was tarred with the Welliver and Moran stick?” “I got to thinking pretty hard when I saw you with them the morning after my row with Welliver. You seemed to be pretty good friends.” “Calc’late we be. Knowed ’em a long time.” “Judge, you don’t need any more to show you I’ve a bad situation to deal with. I came to you—I don’t just know why I came to you. On impulse, I expect.” “Sudden Jim,” said Zaanan, with a chuckle. “You’ve heard that, eh?” “Yes. You was sayin’ you come to me on impulse. Must ’a’ figgered I’d be some use to you. Nobody’d climb a greased pole if ’twa’n’t for the five-dollar bill tacked on top of it. Was you wantin’ advice or money or the loan of my shot-gun?” “I think,” said Jim, slowly, “that what brought me here was a vague sort of hope of finding a friend. When a fellow’s up against a fight he feels lonesome. He likes to know there’s somebody besides himself to depend on. I had no reason to expect it—quite the contrary, perhaps. Anyhow, I believe you could help me with this particular problem if you wanted to.”