"Postponed? Why, we've just succeeded in gaining Federal attention. We've
been waiting five years. We want them settled now. It concerns Frederic as
well as the rest of us."

"True," she answered, "even more. If those patents are allowed, he will
take immediate steps to mine the coal on a large scale. And it came over
me, instantly, on the heels of the first flash, that it was inevitable, if
Mr. Tisdale had taken advantage of David Weatherbee's condition--and his
own story shows the man had lost his mind; he was wandering around
planting make-believe orchards in the snow--you would use the point to
impeach the Government's star witness."

"Impeach the Government's witness?" repeated Feversham, then a sudden
intelligence leaped into his face. "Impeach Hollis Tisdale," he added
softly and laughed.

Presently, as the chauffeur slackened speed, looking for a stand among the
waiting machines at the depot, the attorney said: "If the syndicate sends
Stuart Foster north to the Iditarod, he may be forced to winter there;
that would certainly postpone the trial until spring."

The next moment the chauffeur threw open the limousine door, and the
delegate stepped out; but he lingered a little over his good-by, retaining
his wife's hand, which he continued to shake slowly, while his eyes
telegraphed an answer to the question in hers. Then, laughing again
deeply, he said: "My lady! My lady! Nature juggled; she played your
brother Frederic a trick when she set that mind in your woman's head."