"That won't do him any good," Tom yawned. "He has been on his guard all
along, yet we found him out. For that matter, any man who lives
regularly at the Mansion House these days is open to our suspicion."

For the Mansion House, ever since Tom's having been ordered away, had
been a losing proposition. Now and then a traveling salesman stopped
there, though not many.

"By the way, Harry," predicted Tom, as the chums were riding back to
Paloma at the close of the afternoon, "look out, in about three of four
days, for a new and permanent guest at the Cactus House."

"Who's coming?" inquired Hazelton.

"Whatever man the Colthwaite Company decides to send to the Cactus House
as soon as headquarters in Chicago receives Ransom's report. I think
we'll know that new chap, too, when he shows up. Also, you'll find that
the new man is either an avowed enemy of Ransom, after a little, or else
he won't choose to know Ransom at all."

"That's pretty wild guessing," scoffed Harry Hazelton.

"Wait three or four days, and see whether it's guessing or one of the
fine fruits of logic," proposed Reade. "Incidentally, the Colthwaite
people will wonder why it didn't occur to them before to send one of
their gloom men to live at the Cactus. Fact is, I've been looking for
the chap for more than a fort-night."