John Martin was silent--dazed. He did not know what to think or do! There was something painfully ominous to him in the discovery of the money and the water--something that accentuated the impression Hamar's sinister appearance had made on him. The man did not look ordinary--his manner, gestures, walk and expression were decidedly abnormal--in fact they put him in mind of the superphysical. The superphysical! Might not that account for his knowledge? Bah! There was no such thing as the superphysical. The man was extraordinary--but, after all, only a man--his knowledge only that of a man. And it must be as the shrewd Gladys conjectured--he had put the money in the tree himself and had learned of the presence of water through some subtle artifice--perhaps only guessed at it. He would defy him--let him do what he would! This was John Martin's decision as he finished tea. An hour later he had changed his mind, and was speaking to Hamar on the telephone, expressing his willingness to grant him a brief interview if he came at once. In rather less than an hour a motor drew up at the Martins' door and Hamar stepped out of it. "Glad to find you in a more tractable mood, Mr. Martin," he exclaimed on being ushered into the latter's presence. "I reckoned you would sing to a different tune when you found that water. Would you like me to give you a few more samples of my skill, before we proceed to business?" "Name your business at once," John Martin replied gruffly; "I haven't many minutes to spare." "No!" Hamar said, "that's a pity; because part of what I have at the back of my brain may take more than a few minutes arranging. The situation in a nutshell is this. You have a pretty daughter, Mr. Martin?" "How dare you, sir?" John Martin broke in, clenching his fist. "Gently, gently, Mr. Martin!" Hamar observed, backing towards the door. "Gently--you promised to give me a courteous hearing. I meant no offence. I say I admire your daughter immensely--she takes the shine out of our American girls." "The deuce she does!" John Martin foamed. "She does, you bet!" Hamar went on. "And I see no reason if she likes me, why we couldn't get engaged. I would do the thing handsomely as far as money goes. What do you say?" "I say that unless you're very careful I shall break my promise and kick you." "I would pay you a big lump sum to take me into partnership," Hamar went on complacently, "and I would introduce a number of new tricks that would stagger creation. I shouldn't be in any hurry to marry--the length of the engagement would be for you to decide." "Then it would be _ad infinitum_," John Martin said grimly, "for you'll never get my consent to a marriage." "Never is a long day--and even a John Martin may change. You want new blood and new capital in your Firm--you would have both in me. I assure you your show would boom as it has never boomed before!" "And the only condition on which you offer me all this is my daughter?"