"I have it. We'll divorce friendship and sentiment entirely from
the discussion and reduce it to a strictly business basis. You
shall ease your conscience by paying my traveling expenses. The
emotional suspense that I undergo shall be my reward. I'll take my
commission in thrills."

This offer evoked a light laugh from Gray's guest. "You'd get
enough of 'em," he asserted. "I'll advance a mild one, on account,
at this moment. Notice the couple dining at the third table to
your left. "Gray lifted his eyes. "What do you see?"

"A rather well-dressed, hard-faced man and a decidedly attractive
woman--brunette. There's a suggestion of repressed widowhood about
her. It's the gown, probably. I am not yet in my dotage, and I had
seen her before I saw you."

"She's living here. I don't know much about her, but the man goes
by the name of Mallow."

"No thrill yet."

"He's been hanging about our store for the past month, making a
few purchases and getting acquainted with some of the clerks.
Wherever I go, lately, there he is. I'll wager if I took to-
night's train for Ranger, he'd be on it."

"And still my pulses do not leap."

"Wait! I got a sort of report on him and it's bad. I believe, and