Payne
wondered, as he watched him, who had taught the gambler to use spanner
and file.
"I will not trouble you if you are busy, Mr. Courthorne, but if you
would give me the returns the Bureau ask for, it would save me riding
round again," he said.
"I'm afraid I can't," said Winston. "You see, I haven't had the
papers."
"Trooper Bacon told me he had given them to you."
"I don't seem to remember it," said Winston.
Payne laughed. "One forgets things when he is busy. Still, you had
them--because you signed for them."
Winston looked up suddenly, and in another moment smiled, but he was a
trifle too late, for Payne had seen his astonishment, and that he was
now on guard.
"Well," he said, "I haven't got them now. Send me a duplicate. You
have, no doubt, some extra forms at the outpost."
Payne decided that the man had never had the documents, but was too
clever to ask any questions or offer explanations that might involve
him. It was evident he knew that somebody had personated him, and the
fact sent a little thrill through the corporal; he was at least on the
trail.
"I'll bring you one round the next time I'm in the neighborhood," he
said, and Winston sat still with the spanner lying idle in his hand
when he rode away.
He realized that Courthorne had taken the papers, and his face grew
anxious as well as grim. The harvest was almost ready now, and a
little while would see it in. Then his work would be over, but he had
of late felt a growing fear lest something, that would prevent its
accomplishment, might happen in the meanwhile.
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