“Any one I know?” Lois asked.

“Sure; a special friend of yours,” and Dick gave a knowing grin.  “He’s been under your care for years.  I guess you know Spuds all right.”

Lois’ face flushed at these words, but she looked calmly at her brother.

“What is there remarkable about seeing Mr. Randall at such a place?” she enquired.  “Why shouldn’t he go there as well as you or any one else?”

“Oh, nothing in that, only I thought maybe you’d be interested.”

“So I am in a way, as I thought that Mr. Randall was up at the falls.  He seldom goes to the city, so I understand, but attends strictly to business.”

“I guess he was doing that all right at the Sign of the Maple.  He seemed to be so busy that he forgot to eat.”

“Was he alone?”

“Oh, no.  There was the prettiest girl I ever set eyes on.  I tell you Spuds is a lucky fellow to know such a beauty.  He’s gone up a peg in my estimation since I saw him with her.  You should have seen her eyes, especially when she smiled at something her father was saying.”

“Her father, did you say?” Lois asked.  It was somewhat of a relief for her to know that there was a father present and that she was not alone with Jasper.

“Well, I suppose he was her father,” Dick replied, “though I am not positive.  He was a fine looking man, anyway.  I’d like to get acquainted with him, for it’s worth knowing such a chap who has a daughter like that.  I wonder how Spuds happened to meet him.  By jingo!  I’ve got it,” and Dick brought his fist down upon the table with such a bang that the dishes rattled.  “I’ll bet you anything that he has something to do with that Break Neck Falls affair, for old Tim Parkin, the big lumber merchant, was along, too.  He owns some fine timber tracts up this way, and no doubt there was a deal on.  That confounded mysterious company will need a great amount of lumber, if rumours are correct.”

As Dick uttered these words his father looked up.  His interest had been suddenly aroused, and for the first time he joined in the conversation.

“Did you say that Tim Parkin was at the Sign of the Maple?” he growled.

“Yes, Dad,” the young man replied.  “He was looking bigger and more prosperous than ever.  He seemed mighty pleased over something.”

“Did you near what they were talking about?”

“No, I couldn’t make out anything as we were on the opposite side of the room.”

“But you could see the girl, though.  If your ears had been half as good as your eyes you would have heard what was being said.”

“But any one can see much farther than he can hear,” Dick protested.  “You surely don’t expect the impossible from me, do you?”

“I don’t expect anything from you, sir,” and Mr. Sinclair glared at his son.  “I have long since given up expecting.  All you care for is to have a good time riding around in the car, attending parties, and looking for the prettiest girls.  If you were as much interested in business as you are in pleasure you would be of some use to me.  But I guess you’ll have to get a hustle on mighty goon, though, from the look of things.  I won’t be able to indulge you in your idleness much longer.”