“I’m very happy to—­how are you, Pratt?  How are you?  Won’t you have a chair, Miss Kent?”

Pratt nodded and murmured a greeting.  He was decidedly uneasy.

Beth always moved by impulse.  It hastened her now to the issue.  She sat down and faced their man.

“Mr. Lawrence,” she said, “I believe you ran the reservation line, not long ago, and gave Mr. Bostwick and a friend of his the ’Laughing Water’ claim.”

Lawrence looked alive.

“I certainly ran the line,” he said.  “Instructions came from—­from headquarters, to ascertain the precise limitations of the reservation.  The results gave the ‘Laughing Water’ claim to its present owners, by right of prior location, after the opening hour, as the claim was included in the tract.”  He had uttered this speech before.  It fell very glibly from his tongue.

“Yes, we know all that—­so far as it’s true,” said Beth with startling candor, “but we know it isn’t true at all, and you’ve got to confess that you made some ridiculous blunder or else that you were bribed.”

She had not intended to plump it out so bluntly, so baldly, but a certain indignation in her breast had been rapidly increasing, and her impulse was not to be stayed.

“Gee!” murmured Glen, “that’s going some!”

Lawrence turned white, whether with anger or fright could not have been determined.

“Miss Kent!” he said.  “You—­you’re making a very serious——­”

“Oh, I know!” she interrupted.  “I expect you to deny it.  But a great deal of money—­my money—­has been used, and Mr. Pratt has run the line—­with myself and my brother—­yesterday—­so we know that you’ve either been fooled or you’ve cheated.”

Lawrence had risen.  His face was scarlet.

“Upon my word!” he said.  “Pratt, you and your friend I can order from the office!  The lady——­”

“You can’t order anything!—­not a thing!” said Beth.  “Glen!  Mr. Pratt!—­you’ve got to stay and help!  I know the truth—­and it’s got to be confessed!  Mr. Van Buren——­”

“I can leave myself, since you insist upon remaining,” interrupted Lawrence, taking his hat and striding towards the door, in a panic to get to McCoppet for much-needed aid.  “Such an utterly unheard of affront as this——­”

“Glen! run and find Mr. Van Buren!” Beth broke in excitedly.  “Don’t let him go, Mr. Pratt!”

Lawrence had reached his outer office and was almost at the door.  Beth was hastening after, with Glen at her heels.  All were abruptly halted.

Van and the sheriff appeared in the door, before which idlers were passing.  Beth was wild with joy.

“Van,” she cried, “Oh, Mr. Van Buren, I’m sure this man has cheated you out of your claim!  We ran the line ourselves—­my brother, Mr. Pratt, and I—­yesterday—­we finished yesterday!  We found the claim is not inside the reservation!  My money was used—­I’m sure for bribery!  But they’ve got to give you back your claim, if it takes every penny I’ve got!  I was sending Glen to let you know.  I asked Mr. Lawrence to confess!  You won’t let him go!  You mustn’t let him go!  I am sure there’s something dreadful going on!”