“I have something more to tell you; something that will be painful,” said he.
Orde looked up quickly.
“Well; what is it?” he asked.
“The general cussedness of all this investigation business had me puzzled, until at last I made up my mind to do a little investigating on my own account. It all looked foolish to me. Somebody or something must be back of all this performance. I was at it all the time I was West, between times on regular business, of course. I didn't make much out of my direct efforts—they cover things up well in those matters—but at last I got on a clue by sheer accident. There was one man behind all this. He was—”
“Joe Newmark,” said Orde quietly.
“How did you know that?” cried Taylor in astonishment.
“I didn't know, Frank; I just guessed.”
“Well, you made a good guess. It was Newmark. He'd tied up the land in this trumped-up investigation so you could not borrow on it.”
“How did he find out I owned any land?” asked Orde.
“That I couldn't tell you. Must have been a leak somewhere.”