This confirmed Braden's suspicions.
"You heard Mackay say French gave them to her before he died."
"Yes, I heard that," said Garland. But if Braden kept insisting on those deeds there must be something crooked about them. If they had been made years ago, why hadn't they been handed over? And why was Braden talking to him? The only answer was that he must be supposed to know something which he did not. However, being a fair poker player he remembered that the bluff of a pat hand has been known to win. He shot at a big venture: "As long as she doesn't know any more than those deeds tell her, I guess she won't make you any trouble," he said.
There was no doubt at all in Mr. Braden's mind now about Garland.
"Look here," he said, "are you going to make trouble for me—I mean are you going to try to?"
Garland was amazed at the result of his random shot, but had no objection to picking up the birds thus fallen at his feet.
"Not if you do the fair thing," he replied.
"What do you call fair?" Mr. Braden demanded.
Garland was in deep water. Braden wanted him to put a price on silence. Well, he had no idea of the price Braden would be prepared to pay.
"Fifty-fifty," he replied at a venture.