"Then I wash my hands of the whole affair," he stated in accents
of finality. "I refuse. I shall go, and you can do as you will,--
blunder on," scornfully, "with your nitroglycerin, your rags, and
drills and--and rouse the entire countryside, if you will."

"Ah, but--"

"Will you accept my aid?"

"On conditions, only," she stipulated. "Halvers?"

He shook his head.

"Half shares, or not at all!" She was firm.

"A partnership?"

This educed a moue of doubt, with: "I'm not worthy the honor."

"But," he promised rashly, "I can save you--oh, heaps of trouble
in other--ah--lays."

She shrugged helplessly. "If I must--then I do accept. We are
partners, Dan Anisty and I!"

He nodded mute satisfaction, brushed the tools out of his way, and
bent an attentive ear to the combination.

The girl swept across the room, and there followed a click
simultaneous with the total extinction of light.