"I think that if
Mr. Brayley has no objections and can spare me a blanket and some
bread and coffee I'll roost here and watch the ditch grow in the
morning."
Tommy Garton was still perched upon his high stool when Conniston came
to the office.
"Just through, though," he said, as he climbed down and with the aid
of his crutches piloted his new legs toward the door, grasping
Conniston's hand warmly. "Good news, eh, Greek?"
"The best, Tommy. If we don't put this thing across now we ought to be
kicked from one end of the desert to the other. By the way, I had a
visit from Swinnerton this afternoon."
He told of what had passed, and ended, thoughtfully:
"What do you suppose was his object, Tommy? Just wanted to get a peek
at what we have done?"
Garton laughed softly.
"You poor old innocent. Don't you know what the little man was after?
Didn't he make it plain that he wanted you to double cross the old
man? Didn't he make it plain that he was in a position to make it
worth your while? If our scheme fails, don't you see that you can go
to Swinnerton and demand and get a good job working for his scheme?
He has bought many a man, Greek. It is his theory that he can buy any
man he wants to buy."
"And I let him get away without slapping his little red face,"
muttered Conniston, disgustedly.
He left Garton a few minutes later, promising to return and spend the
night with him, to talk at length with him in the morning, and went
down the street to the Crawford cottage.
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