“I have.”
“Hiding from something, mebbe?” suggested Simmons.
“Maybe,” said Toppy. “And, say—there’s a young lady over at the hotel who’s looking for you. Said you were to furnish her with a sleigh to get out to Cameron Dam.”
An evil smile broke over the agent’s thin face as he moved toward the door.
“The new bookkeeper, I suppose,” he said, winking at Toppy. “Aha! Now I understand why you——”
Toppy caught him two steps from the door. His fingers sank into the man’s withered biceps.
“No, you don’t understand,” he hissed grimly. “Get that? You don’t understand anything about it.”
“All right,” snapped the cowed man. “Leggo my arm. I was just joshing. You can take a joke, can’t you? Well, then, come along. As long as you’re going out you might as well go at once. I’ve got to get a double team, anyhow, for the lady, and you’ve got to start now to make it before dark. Ready to start now?”
“All ready,” said Toppy.
At the door the agent paused.