"Stuart, I believe, if I were in your place, I'd enlist Mr. North, if I
had to make it an object for him," he said, at length.

"Certainly, I mean to go to him first," said Ford. "That is his due. But
I am counting upon opposition rather than help. Wait a minute"--he
jerked the door open suddenly and made sure that the chief clerk's chair
was unoccupied. "The worst of it is that I don't trust North," he went
on. "He is a grafter in small ways, and he'd sell me out in a minute if
he felt like it and could see any chance of making capital for himself."

"Then don't go to him with your scheme," urged Frisbie. "If you enlist
him, you won't be sure of him; and if you don't, you'll merely leave an
active opponent behind you instead of a passive one."

"I guess you're right, Dick; but I'll have to be governed by conditions
as I find them. Aside from North's influence with Mr. Colbrith, which is
considerable, I believe, he can't do much to help. But he can do a
tremendous lot to hinder. I think I shall try to choke him with butter,
if I can."

Notwithstanding the general manager's letter, Ford took the train for
Denver the following morning, and the chief clerk remarked that he
checked a small steamer trunk in addition to his hand baggage.

"Going to be gone some time, Mr. Ford?" he asked, when he brought the
night mail down for the superintendent to look over.

"Yes," said Ford absently.

"You'll let me know where to reach you from time to time, I suppose?"