The banker scowled, swearing softly to himself as he read the first paragraph. "Didn't send him, didn't he," he grumbled. "Then who did? I didn't, that's sure. He recommended the fellow as a good cowboy, and Conrad engaged him. I had nothing to do with it." He was silent again as he studied the second part of the letter. A suspicion rose in his mind that Baxter was purposely making it difficult, almost impossible, for him to get out of the land scheme. What was his purpose in so doing? Did the Congressman wish to keep a hold on him to hamper, perhaps even to control, his movements? "I wonder," Bancroft thought, "if Dell is afraid I'll try to cut him out politically before he's ready to step down. I'd like his place well enough if--but that's something out of my reckoning for a long time yet, even if everything goes right." The surmise that Baxter wished to have such a bridle upon him left him uneasy. Well, he would have to let this thing go on as it was. If he tried to sell to any one else knowledge of his connection with it might leak out and reach Lucy's ears. He winced as he thought of her feeling toward Baxter because of this business. And the investment promised well; rich returns might be expected from it soon. Nobody knew of his part in it except Dell, and if he stayed in and kept quiet it was unlikely that anybody else would find it out. That might be the safer plan, after all. Conrad came to the door, and after a few minutes' talk Bancroft said to him, remembering Baxter's injunction, "Well, Curt, I hope you won't find that your crazy Mexican has been trying to kill off all your men." Curtis laughed. "Oh, José will be all right; and he's the best cow-punch I've got on the ranch. Dell Baxter will attend to him." "That's an absurd notion of yours that Baxter had anything to do with it," replied Bancroft, the Congressman's letter still in his mind. "You're not reasonable about Dell. Why should he want you assassinated?" "The only reason I can see is that I've been talking pretty plain about him. But if he doesn't like the kind of things I say he'll have to get used to it, or else reform." "Nonsense, Curt. And even if he does think you're handling the Castleton money against--" Curtis made a gesture of impatience. "I hope you don't take any stock in that talk, Aleck. The Castletons don't care a hang about this campaign, and Dell knows it. They're not putting up a cent, or, if Ned is doing anything for his wife's sake, he's dealing with Johnny Martinez direct." Bancroft looked at him narrowly. "Is that right, Curt? Are you sure of it?" "As sure as I am of anything," the cattleman responded with emphasis. "They've never mentioned the subject to me."