“What! That one where the old farmer was mixed up in some action over water-rights and a dam?”
“That’s it. I had a good case, and we were going to apply for an injunction as soon as Simpson, who is the party Kendall had the dispute with, started to cut the dam. But, it seems Simpson’s lawyer, Amos Kittridge, got wind of the affair. He knew what we were going to do, and he took action that caused our case to be thrown out of court. My client, Mr. Kendall lost, and he is very angry about it.”
“How do you suppose Kittridge learned of your side of the case?” asked Mr. Keen, while Tom listened anxiously.
“I don’t know. He’s a trickster, but when he won he laughed at me, and as much as hinted that the leak came from this office.”
“From this office?”
“Yes. He advised me to pay my help better, then they wouldn’t be dissatisfied, and give away the details of our cases. I tell you, Mr. Keen, this is a serious matter, and I am going to have an investigation. I want to see all the clerks in my office. Some news went out of here that shouldn’t have gone, and it lost us the case. It was given over the telephone, Kittridge as much as said. Tom, I shall have to question you. Do not go home this afternoon, until I have seen you. Kittridge is a trickster, and a sneak, but what he did is legal, though it is not right. But if I find out who gave him the tip, it will go hard with him!”
Mr. Boise looked sterner than Tom had ever seen him before, and the telephone boy, though he knew he had had nothing to do with the matter, felt a little apprehensive.
“If some one used this telephone to talk to Mr. Kittridge with,” mused Tom, “it may involve me.”
CHAPTER XVIII
TOM IS ACCUSED
“Send the clerks into my office,” said Mr. Boise to Mr. Keen, as he passed into his own apartment. “We’ll sift this matter to the bottom.”