Stacy instantly remembered Barker's absurd belief in it and his reasons. He smiled and said carelessly, “Are you quite sure it's a swindle?” There was a dead silence at the coolness of the man who had been most outspoken against it. “But,” said a voice hesitatingly, “you know it goes nowhere and to no purpose.” “But that does not prevent it, now that it's a fact, from going anywhere and to some purpose,” said Stacy, turning away. He passed into the reading-room quietly, but in an instant turned and quickly descended by another staircase into the hall, hurriedly put on his overcoat, and slipping out was a moment later re-entering the hotel. Here he hastily summoned Barker, who came down, flushed and excited. Laying his hand on Barker's arm in his old dominant way, he said:-- “Don't delay a single hour, but get a written agreement for that Ditch property.” Barker smiled. “But I have. Got it this afternoon.” “Then you know?” ejaculated Stacy in surprise. “I only know,” said Barker, coloring, “that you said I could back out of it if it wasn't signed, and that's what Kitty said, too. And I thought it looked awfully mean for me to hold a man to that kind of a bargain. And so--you won't be mad, old fellow, will you?--I thought I'd put it beyond any question of my own good faith by having it in black and white.” He stopped, laughing and blushing, but still earnest and sincere. “You don't think me a fool, do you?” he said pathetically. Stacy smiled grimly. “I think, Barker boy, that if you go to the Branch you'll have no difficulty in paying for the Ditch property. Good-night.” In a few moments he was back at the club again before any one knew he had even left the building. As he again re-entered the smoking-room he found the members still in eager discussion about the new railroad. One was saying, “If they could get an extension, and carry the road through Heavy Tree Hill to Boomville they'd be all right.” “I quite agree with you,” said Stacy. CHAPTER III.