“Huh! guess Jake Storms’ got a reputation that’d kerry him through, all right, sonny,” muttered the big man, but Max could see that he squirmed uneasily; likewise Obed must have guessed the truth also, as his next remarks proved.

“A reputation may be one way or the other, Jake Storms, if that is really your name, which I doubt very much.  Perhaps some people might be glad to see you again.  For one I don’t believe for a single minute that you’re a trapper, or that you ever worked for Paul Smith, who knows the kind of men he has around his hotel too well to hire a thief.  I’m as sure as I draw breath that you came here to steal my blacks.  Yes, and that you were hired to do this by another party.  What was the sum of money he promised you, Jake, if you were successful; and is he around here with you?”

The man made no reply, though various expressive changes took place in the looks on his face.  So Obed, after waiting several minutes to hear what the other might choose to say, went on.

“I said before that if we take you down to Lathrop you’ll be locked up, and when court is in session placed on trial, charged with attempted robbery.  Your picture will be taken, and sent broadcast to every city, so if you’re wanted for anything big, the authorities will know just where to find you.  That may not be pleasant for you to hear, Jake, but it’s what I mean to have done.  There’s only one way you can escape it.  Do you want to hear what that way is?”

“Yuh’re away off the track, young feller,” blurted the man, obstinately shaking his head in a contrary way, “I ain’t done nawthin’ to make me askeered o’ the law officers.  Jake Storms is my name, all right, too, and I’m meanin’ to trap over on the Cranberry Creek section.  And I’m on my way down to Lathrop right now to meet a Mr. Jasper, who’ll vouch for my character, sure he will.  But go ahead, and say what yuh meant to, boy.  It won’t do me any harm to hear it, I reckons.”

“This is the chance you’ll have to get scot free, and the only chance,” said Obed solemnly.  “Tell me who hired you to rob my fur farm, and not leave a single black in the burrows, and I’ll let you go free.  Will you take my offer, or risk a prison sentence, Jake?”

The man hesitated.  That alone was enough to convince Max that he was guilty; for undoubtedly he must be weighing in the balance Obed’s offer, with the possibility of making his escape through the assistance of companions.

“Ain’t got nawthin’ to say, boy,” he finally growled, as though making up his mind.  Obed started up, and hastening over to a desk at one end of the room he hurriedly searched through a drawer until he found what he was looking for; after which he again sat down beside the man with the tied hands.

It was a photograph which he held up before the prisoner, and Max could see it was a man’s face on the card.

“Look at that, Jake Storms, and tell me, did he put it into your head to come up here and clean my enclosures out, so as to rob me of the work of nearly two years?”