"Impossible!" cried the cashier. "Ferris never told me anything of
it."

"Certainly not," calmly replied Jack Witherspoon, as Clayton busied
himself with the wreck and ruin. "It's not in his game to do anything
but hoodwink you. What did he tell you now of this Western trip?"
Clayton frankly unbosomed himself to his visitor, pacing up and
down in a sudden indignation.

"All that story of Miss Worthington's illness is mere moonshine,"
confidently answered the Western lawyer. "Hugh Worthington is one
of the coldest business calculators in America."

"Our road and its allies are naturally inside of all the secrets
of the big cattle trust. I have watched the old Croesus' career for
years. It's only since I got into possession of the law business
of this branching-out railroad that I have been able to fathom old
Worthington's designs.

"He has used young Ferris for years to quietly gather in all the
loose stock of his unsuspicious partners. You may not know that
Arthur Ferris is the favorite nephew of Senator Durham, Chairman
of the Committee on Interstate Commerce.

"This Western visit of old Worthington's is only a betrothal trip
for Ferris and Miss Alice. The Senator and his friends will put
up the legislation.

"Worthington is craftily frightening out all his Western partners