This was satisfactory to Keith, and he said so.

Mr. Wickersham’s shrewd eyes had a gleam of content in them.

“Of course, our interest will be your first consideration?” he said.

“Yes, sir; I should try and make it so.”

“For instance,” proceeded Mr. Wickersham, “there are certain lands lying near our lands, not of any special value; but still you can readily understand that as we are running a railroad through the mountains, and are expending large sums of money, it is better that we should control lands through which our line will pass.”

Keith saw this perfectly.  “Do you know the names of any of the owners?” he inquired.  “I am familiar with some of the lands about there.”

Mr. Wickersham pondered.  Keith was so ingenuous and eager that there could be no harm in coming to the point.

“Why, yes; there is a man named Rawson that has some lands or some sort of interest in lands that adjoin ours.  It might be well for us to control those properties.”

Keith’s countenance fell.

“It happens that I know something of those lands.”

“Yes?  Well, you might possibly take those properties along with others?”

“I could certainly convey any proposition you wish to make to Mr. Rawson, and should be glad to do so,” began Keith.

“We should expect you to use your best efforts to secure these and all other lands that we wish,” interrupted Mr. Wickersham, speaking with sudden sharpness.  “When we employ a man we expect him to give us all his services, and not to be half in our employ and half in that of the man we are fighting.”

The change in his manner and tone was so great and so unexpected that Keith was amazed.  He had never been spoken to before quite in this way.  He, however, repressed his feeling.

“I should certainly render you the best service I could,” he said; “but you would not expect me to say anything to Squire Rawson that I did not believe?  He has talked with me about these lands, and he knows their value just as well as you do.”

Mr. Wickersham looked at him with a cold light in his eyes, which suddenly recalled Ferdy to Keith.

“I don’t think that you and I will suit each other, young man,” he said.

Keith’s face flushed; he rose.  “I don’t think we should, Mr. Wickersham.  Good morning.”  And turning, he walked out of the room with his head very high.

As he passed out he saw Ferdy.  He was giving some directions to a clerk, and his tone was one that made Keith glad he was not under him.

“Haven’t you any brains at all?” Keith heard him say.

“Yes, but I did not understand you.”

“Then you are a fool,” said the young man.

Just then Keith caught his eye and spoke to him.  Ferdy only nodded “Hello!” and went on berating the clerk.

Keith walked about the streets for some time before he could soothe his ruffled feelings and regain his composure.  How life had changed for him in the brief interval since he entered Mr. Wickersham’s office!  Then his heart beat high with hope; life was all brightness to him; Alice Yorke was already won.  Now in this short space of time his hopes were all overthrown.  Yet, his instinct told him that if he had to go through the interview again he would do just as he had done.