“Of course,” remarked Baker, relaxing abruptly his attitude, physical and mental, and lighting a cigar, “of course, it is all very well to yank the temples down around the merry Philistines, but it doesn’t do your Uncle Samson much good.  We can raise hell with Welton and Orde and a half-dozen others, and we will, if they push us too hard—­but that don’t keep us the Basin if this crazy reformer testifies and pulls in Welton to corroborate him.  I’d rather keep the Basin.  If we could stop Orde——­”

“I’ll stop him,” said Oldham.

“I hope,” said Baker impressively, “that you have more than one string to your bow.  I am not inquiring into your methods, you understand”—­his pause was so significantly long at this point, that Oldham nodded—­“but your sole job is to keep Orde out of court.”

Baker looked his agent squarely in the eye for fifteen seconds.  Then abruptly he dropped his gaze.

“That’s all,” said he, and reached for some papers.

XXIV

Oldham obeyed his principal’s orders by joining Bob on the train back to the city.  He dropped down by the young man’s side, produced a cigar which he rolled between his lips, but did not light, and at once opened up the subject of his negotiations.

“I wish to point out to you, with your permission,” he began, “just where you stand in this matter.  In the confusion and haste of a busy time you may not have cast up your accounts.  First,” he checked off the point on his long, slender forefinger, “in injuring Mr. Baker in this ill-advised fashion you are injuring your old-time employer and friend, Mr. Welton, and this in two ways:  you are jeopardizing his whole business, and you are rendering practically certain his conviction on a criminal charge.  Mr. Welton is an old man, a simple man, and a kindly man; this thing is likely to kill him.”  Oldham glanced keenly at the young man’s sombre face, and went on.  “Second”—­he folded back his middle finger—­“you are injuring your own father, also in two ways:  you are bringing his lawful property into danger, and you are giving his political enemies the most effective sort of a weapon to swing in his coming campaign.  And do not flatter yourself they will not make the best of it.  It happens that your father has stood strongly with the Conservation members in the late fight in Congress.  This would be a pretty scandal.  Third,” said Oldham, touching his ring finger, “you are injuring yourself.  You are throwing away an opportunity to get in on the ground floor with the biggest man in the West; you are making for yourself a powerful enemy; and you are indubitably preparing the way for your removal from office—­if removal from such an office can conceivably mean anything to any one.”  He removed the cigar from his mouth, gazed at the wetted end, waited a moment for the young man to comment, then replaced it, and resumed.  “And fourth,” he remarked closing his fist so that all fingers were concealed.  There he stopped until Bob was fairly compelled to start him on again.