"He does want to see me!" excitedly thought the colonel. "What in the world for? This is getting interesting! I've got to do a little fine work now. He must never suspect, at least for a while, that I have been in Colchester."
Next to the elevator in which Aaron Grafton rode up was another.
"Tom, you're an express for the time being!" whispered the colonel to the operator. "There's a man headed for my offices, and I must get in ahead of him. Here's a dollar!"
"I get you, Colonel! Shoot!"
And the car shot up with speed enough to cause the colonel to gasp, used as he was to rapid motion.
He had just time to slide into his quarters by a rear and private door, to make certain changes in his appearance and be calmly sitting at his desk smoking a cigar when his clerk brought in the card of Aaron Grafton.
"Tell him to come in," said the colonel, more and more surprised at the turn affairs were taking. "I'll see this man myself," he continued, speaking to the man into whose hands he had put the general direction of the agency. "Say to Mr. Grafton," he said, turning to the clerk, "that Colonel Ashley will see him in a moment."
CHAPTER VIII
THE DIAMOND CROSS
"Colonel Ashley?" There was a formal, questioning note in the merchant's voice.