l item of profit。 Hence the relentless Nemesis that sooner or later overtakes those who； whether ignorantly or maliciously； break laws； fell upon the National Machine Company and upon those who had the misfortune to be associated with it。
In the wreck of the business Mr。 Gwynne's store； upon which the National Machine Company had taken the precaution to secure a mortgage； was also involved。 The business went into the hands of a receiver and was bought up at about fifty cents on the dollar by a man recently from western Canada whose specialty was the handling of business wreckage。 No one after even a cursory glance at his face would suspect Mr。 H。 P。 Sleighter of deficiency in business qualities。 The snap in the cold grey eye； the firm lines in the long jaw； the thin lips pressed hard together； all proclaimed the hard…headed； cold…hearted； iron…willed man of business。 Mr。 Sleighter； moreover； had a remarkable instinct for values； more especially for salvage values。 It was this instinct that led him to the purchase of the National Machine Company wreckage； which included as well the Mapleton general store； with its assets in stock and book debts。
Mr。 Sleighter's methods with the easy…going debtors of the company in Mapleton and the surrounding district were of such galvanic vigour that even so practiced a procrastinator as Farmer Martin found himself actually drawing money from his hoarded bank account to pay his store debtsa thing unheard of in that communityand to meet overdue payments upon the various implements which he had purchased from the National Machine Company。 It was not until after the money had been drawn and actually paid that Mr。 Martin came fully to realise the extraordinary nature of his act。
〃That there feller；〃 he said； looking from the receipt in his hand to the store door through which the form of Mr。 Sleighter had just vanished； 〃that there feller； he's too swift fer me。 He ain't got any innards to speak of； he'd steal the pants off a dog； he would。〃
The application of these same galvanically vigorous methods to Mr。 Gwynne's debtors produced surprising results。 Mr。 Sleighter made the astounding discovery that Mr。 Gwynne's business instead of being bankrupt would produce not only one hundred cents on the dollar； but a slight profit as well。 This discovery annoyed Mr。 Sleighter。 He hated to confess a mistake in business judgment； and he frankly confessed he 〃hated to see good money roll past him。〃 Hence with something of a grudge he prepared to hand over to Mr。 Gwynne some twelve hundred and fifty dollars of salvage money。
〃I suppose he will be selling out his farm；〃 said Mr。 Sleighter in conversation with Mr。 Martin。 〃What's land worth about here？〃
〃Oh； somewhere about a hundred。〃
〃A hundred dollars an acre！〃 exclaimed Mr。 Sleighter。 〃Don't try to put anything over on me。 Personally I admire your generous； kindly nature； but as a financial adviser you don't shine。 I guess I won't bother about that farm anyway。〃
Mr。 Sleighter's question awakened earnest thought in Mr。 Martin； and the next morning he approached Mr。 Gwynne with a proposition to purchase his farm with its attached buildings。 Mr。 Martin made it clear that he was chiefly anxious to do a neighbourly turn。
〃The house and the stable ain't worth much；〃 he said； 〃but the farm bein' handy to my property； I own up is worth more to me than to other folks； perhaps。 So bein' old neighbours； I am willin' to give four thousand dollars； half cash down； for the hull business。〃
〃Surely that is a low figure；〃 said Mr。 Gwynne。
〃Low figure！〃 exclaimed Mr。 Martin。 〃All right； I ain't pressin' it on you； but if you could get any one in this neighbourhood to offer four thousand dollars for your farm； I will give you five hundred extra。 But；〃 he continued； 〃I ain't pressin' you。 Don't much matter to me。〃
The offer came at a psychologically critical moment； when Mr。 Gwynne was desperately seeking escape from an intolerable environment。
〃I shall consult Mrs。 Gwynne；〃 he said； 〃and let you know in a few days。〃
〃Don't know as I can wait that long；〃 said Mr。 Martin。 〃I made the offer to oblige you； and besides I got a chance at the Monroe fifty。〃
〃Call to…morrow night；〃 said Mr。 Gwynne； and carried the proposal home to his wife。
The suggestion to break up her home to a woman of Mrs。 Gwynne's type is almost shattering。 In the big world full of nameless terrors the one spot offering shelter and safety for herself and her family was her home。 But after all； her husband was her great concern； and she could see he was eager for the change。 She made up her mind to the sacrifice and decided that she would break up the home in Mapleton and with her husband try again their fortune。
〃But four thousand dollars；〃 she said； 〃is surely a small price。〃
〃Small？ I know it is small； but Martin knows I am in a corner。 He is a highway robber。〃
It was a bitter experience for him to be forced to confess himself a business failure； and with this bitterness there mingled a feeling of hostility toward all successful business men。 To him it seemed that in order to win success in business a man must become； like Mr。 Martin； a highway robber。 In this mood of bitterness and hostility toward successful men； Mr。 Sleighter found him the next day。
〃Couldn't find you at the store；〃 said that gentleman； walking in with his hat on his head。 〃I wanted to get this business straightened up； so I just came in。 Won't take more than five minutes。 I guess you won't mind taking a little check from me。 Your business turned out better than that fool of an assignee thought。 Don't hurt me any； of course。 I got all that was comin' to me out of it； but here's this check。 Perhaps you'll sign the receipt。 I guess they been puttin' it over you all right。 You're a little too soft with 'em。〃
Mr。 Gwynne was an even…tempered man； but Mr。 Sleighter's patronising manner and his criticism of his business ability wrought in him a rage that he could with difficulty control。 He remembered he was in his own house； however； and that the man before him was a stranger。 While he was searching for pen and ink the door opened and his wife entered the room。 Mr。 Sleighter； with his hat still upon his head； was intently gazing out of the window； easily rocking on the two hind legs of the chair。 The door opened behind him。
〃My dear；〃 said Mr。 Gwynne； 〃will you excuse me？ I am engaged。〃
〃Oh； I beg your pardon； I didn't know any one was here。 I merely wanted〃
Mr。 Sleighter glanced over his shoulder。
〃Mr。 Sleighter；〃 said Mr。 Gwynne。 〃My wife。〃
It was not his tone； however； that brought Mr。 Sleighter hurriedly to his feet with his hat in his hand。 It was something in the bearing of the little lady standing behind him。
〃Pleased to meet you； ma'am。 I hope you are well；〃 he said； bowing elaborately before her。
〃Thank you very much； I am quite well。 I have heard a great deal about you； Mr。 Sleighter。 I am glad to meet you。〃
Mr。 Sleighter held her hand a moment while her eyes rested quietly and kindly； if searchingly； upon his face。 This was the man who had profited by her husband's loss。 Was he too a highway robber？ Mr。 Sleighter somehow felt as if his soul were being exposed to a searchlight。 It made him uncomfortable。
〃It's a fine day； ma'am；〃 he remarked； seeking cover for his soul in conversation。 〃A little warm for the time；〃 he continued； wiping his forehead with a highly coloured silk handkerchief。
〃Won't you sit down； Mr。 Sleighter？ Do you find it warm？ I thought there was quite a chilly wind to…day。 But then you are more accustomed to the wind than I。〃
The searching eyes were holding him steadily； but the face was kindly and full of genuine interest。
〃I guess so；〃 he said with a little laugh。 He would have scorned to acknowledge that his laugh was nervous and thin。 〃I come from the windy side of the earth。〃
〃Oh！〃
〃Yes； I am from out WestAlberta。 We have got all the winds there is and the Chinook besides for a change。〃
〃Alberta？ The Chinook？〃 The eyes became less searching。
〃Yes； that's the wind that comes down from the mountains and licks up the snow at ten miles an hour。〃
〃Oh！〃
〃It was an Alberta man； you know； who invented a rig with runners in front and wheels behind。〃 The lady was bewildered。 〃To catch up with the Chinook； you see。 One of my kid's jokes。 Not much of a joke I guess； but he's always ringin' 'em in。〃
〃You have a son； Mr。 Sleighter？ He's in Alberta now？〃
〃No； the missis and the kids； three of them； are in Winnipeg。 She got tired of it out there； she was always wantin' the city； so I gave in。〃
〃I hear it's a beautiful country out there。〃
〃Now you're talkin'； ma'am。〃 She had touched Mr。 Sleighter's favourite theme。 Indeed； the absorbing passion of his life； next to the picking up of good salvage bargains； was his home in the Foothill country of the West。
While he was engaged in an enthusiastic description of the glories of that wonderland the children came in and were presented。 Mr。 Gwynne handed his visitor his receipt and stood suggestively awaiting his departure。 But Mr。 Sleighter was fairly started on his subject and was not to be denied。 The little girls drew shyly near him with eyes aglow while Mr。 Sleighter's words roiled forth like a mountain flood。 Eloquently he described the beauty of the rolling lands； the splendour of the mountains； the richness of the soil； the health…giving qualities of the climate； the warm…hearted hospitality of the settlers。
〃None of your pin…head two…by…four shysters that you see here in the East；〃 exclaimed Mr。 Sleighter。 〃I mean some folks； of course；〃 he explained in some confusion。
〃And the children； did they like it？〃 inquired Mrs。 Gwynne。
〃You bet they did。 Why； they was all over the hull prairie； all day and all night； too； mostlyon ponies you know。〃
〃Ponies！〃 exclaimed Larry。 〃Did they have ponies？ Could they ride？ How big are they？〃
〃How big？ Blamed if I know。 Let's see。 There's Tom。 He's just about a man； or thinks he is。 He's sixteen or seventeen。 Just now he's in the high school at Winnipeg。 He don't like it though。〃 Here a shadow fell on Mr。 Sleighter's face。 〃And the gir