"How the devil did you get here, Dan?"

"Just what I was going to ask you, Fred."

"Then you didn't get my letter?"

"What letter."

"I wrote you from Chicago, to be on hand at the 'plant' to-night."

"Did you send it to Leavenworth?"

"Yes."

"I am on my way there now. Got busted in St, Louis, couldn't make a
raise, and I commenced to count ties for Leavenworth."

"Yes, then you took me for some jay, and tried to hold me up. It's lucky
I met you, I need you."

"Any money in it?"

"Slathers of it."

"What's your lay?"

Cummings hesitated a minute before replying, and then said:

"Dan! you went back on me once, I don't know that I can trust you, you