"I'll tell you if you'll promise to keep the matter a secret."

"Hum!" The lumber merchant paused for a moment. "Well, go on."

"You won't give me away?"

"No."

"Well, when they got their right to that Spur Road tract certain papers had to be signed."

"I know that."

"Then they had a fire at their sawmill."

"I know that, too."

"During that fire those papers disappeared."

"Ha!" cried Andrew Felps, with interest. "You are certain of that?"