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Show fered his guest a chalet of Haws an selected for hlroaali a drj martini. Cigars ant cigarette , wer within read) b a taouret. Clay discovered that on difficulty be had expected to meet did not complicate com-plicate the problem. The valet had left to select the roods for some custom-made shirts, Bromfleld explained apologetically, apropos of the lack of Hervlce. He would not return till late brawler Uke Durand. I don't Intend to fight with you." "You're catamly relieved mj mind," murmured day laslly. "What's yore own notion ci what I ought to do to yon, Bromfleld? Ton Invited mut as a friend and led me Into a trap after aft-er you bad fixed It up. Wouldn't a first-class thrashln' with a hawsswhlp be about right?" Bromfleld turned pale. Tv got a weak heart," he faltered. ' . CHAPTER XXI In Central Park. . Johnnie burst Into the kitchen beaming; beam-ing; "We're gonna p'lnt for the hills. Kitty. Clay he's had a letter caUln' him home." "When are you going?" "Thursday. Ainl that great?" She nodded, absently. Her mind was on another tack already. "Johnnie, "John-nie, Ton going to ask Miss Whltford here for dinner tonight" self a whack on the thigh. A brilliant bril-liant Idea had flashed Into bis cranium. crani-um. It proceeded to grow until he was Uke to burst with It When Lindsay rose from breakfast he was mysteriously beckoned Into another room. Johnnie outlined sketchlly and with a good deal of hesitation hes-itation what be had In mind. ' Clay's eyes danced with that spark of mischief mis-chief his friends bad learned to recognize recog-nize as a danger signal. "You're some sure-enough wizard, Johnnie," he admitted. "I expect RoundUp X Wd. MacLeod Raiae I IUustratUm by Irwin yen -What r sawvtoa th Bunt , "Wt intended U ask you both to Ukt , wadding, but when Johnnie proposed to abduct Miss Whltford, I thought a pity not to lot him. So we" Johnnie fell on him and beat him with both fists. "You daw-goned ol scalawag! 1 never will help you git ' married again 1" he shouted gleefully. "Oh, JohnnieJohnnie you'll bo the death of roe!" cried Clay. "It'll -never be i dull old world So long as you stay a bandit." "Did you really advise him to beat me, Johunle?" asked Beatrice sweetly. "I never would have guessed you wer such a cave man.? Johnnie flamed to the roots of his hair. "Now, ma'am, If you're gonna believe that" Beatrice repented and offered him her hand. "We'll not believe anything of you that Isn't good, even If you did w-"t to kidnap me," she said. CHAPTER XXII '''TV' The New Day. The slapping of the wind against the tent awakened Beatrice. She could hear it soughing gently through the branches of the live oaks. An out-flung out-flung arm discovered Clay missing. Her questing glance found him busy over the mesqulte fire upon . which he was cooKing breakfast She watched him move about supple and light and strong, and her heart lifted with sheer joy of the mate she had chosen. He was such a man among men, this clear-eyed, bronzed husband hus-band of a week. He was so clean and , simple and satisfying. As she closed the flaps she gave a deep sigh of con- j tent " , ,' ; Every minute till she Joined him, was begrudged. For Beatrice had learned the message of ber heart. She knew that she was wholly and com- -pletely In love with , what life bad . brought her. . And she was amazingly, radiantly ' m the afternoon. "I've come to see about that Bird Cage business, Mr. Bromfleld," his visitor vis-itor explained. Tve been millln' Jt over In my mind, and I thought I'd put the proposition up to you the way It looks to me." ' Bromfleld's eyebrows lifted. His face asked with supercilious politeness polite-ness what the devil business it was of Lindsay's. "Mr. Whltford has put in twenty years of his life building up the Bird Cage Into a good property. It's a one-man mine. He made It out of a hole In the ground, developed It expanded ex-panded It, gave It a market value. He's always protected the stockholders and played the game square with them. Don't it look Uke he ought to stay in control of Itr "Did he send you her to' tell me thatr "No, he didn't. But he's gettln' along in years, Bromfleld. It don't look hardly right to me for you to step In and throw him out. What do you think about it yourself?" The clubman flushed with anger. "I think that lt'a d d impertinent of you to come here meddling In my business. I might have expected It You've always al-ways been an Impertinent meddler." "Mebbeso," agreed Clay serenely, showing no surprise at this explosion. "But I'm here. And I put a question. Shall I ask It again r "N need. I'm going to take what the law allows me what I and my Til aay you hava," agreed Clay ''It's pumpln' water In place of blood right now. 111 bet. Did you ever have a real honest-to-O d llckln when you was a boyT The New Yorker knew he was helpless help-less before this clear-eyed, supple athlete ath-lete who' walked Ilk god from Olympus. On can't lap up half a dozen highballs a day for an Indeterminate Inde-terminate number of years without getting get-ting flabby, nor can he spend himself In feeble dissipations and have reserves re-serves of strength to eall upon when needed. The tongu went dry In his mouth. He began to swallow his Adam's Ad-am's apple. "Let's look at this thing from all sides," went on Clay cheerfully. '"If we decide by a majority of the voting stock and I'm carryin enough proxies prox-ies so that Tve got control that you'd ought to have a wballn', why, o' course, there's no thin' to It but get to business and make a thorough Job." "Maybe I didn't do right about Mad-dock's." Mad-dock's." "No mebbe about that You acted Uke a yellow hound." Tm sorry. I apologize." "I don't reckon I can use apologies. I might make a bargain with you." Til be glad, to make any reasonable bargain." "How'd this do? I'll vote my stock and proxies In the Bromfleld Punishment Punish-ment company, Limited, against the wballn', and you vote yore stock and "Say, you ce'talnly get the best notions, no-tions, honeybug," he shouted. "Do you think she'll comer "Sure she'll come." "I'll fix up the bestest dinner ever was, and maybe" Her conclusion wandered oft Into the realm of unvoiced hopes, but her bus-band bus-band knew what It was as well as If she had phrased It When Clay cam bom that evening he stopped abruptly at the door. The lady of his dreams was setting the table In the dining-room and chatting gayly with an Invisible Kitty In the kitchen. The deUcat fragrance of th girl's personality went to Gay's head Uke wine as h stepped forward and shook hands. To see her engaged In this Intimate household task at his own table quickened his pulse and sent a glow through him. "You didn't know yon had Invited me to dinner, did you 7" she said, little flags a-flutter In her cheeks. They had a gay dinner, and afterward after-ward a pleasant hour before Clay took ber home. Neither of them was In a hurry. They walked through Central park In the kindly darkness, each acutely sensitive sen-sitive to the other's presence. Her gayety and piquancy had given place to a gentle shyness. Clay let the burden of conversation fall upon her. He knew that he had come to his hour of hours and his soul was wrapped In gravity. you're right about girls not knowln' their own minds. You've had more experience with women than I have. If you say the proper thlnf t do Is to abduct Miss Whltford and take ber with us, why" , "Onct in a while you got to play like you're gonua treat 'em rough," said Mr. Green sagely, blushing a trifle nevertheless. "All right I'll let you engineer this If I can make up my mind to It after rve milled It over. I can see you know what you're doln'," ; Tlie conspirators arranged detalla. Johnnie waa the brains of the kidnaping. kidnap-ing. Cloy bought the tickets and was to take charge of the prisoner after the train was reached. They decided It would be best to get a stateroom for the girl. "We wantta make It as easy as w can for her." said Johnnie. "O' course it's all for her own good, but we don't figure to treat her noways but Uke the princess sBe is." "Yes," agreed Clay, humbly. According to program, carefully arranged ar-ranged by Johnnie, Beatrice rode down to the train with him and Kitty In their taxlcab. She went on board tor the final good-by and chatted with them In their section. The chief conspirator was as easy as a toad in a hot skillet Now that It had come down to the actual business busi-ness of taking this young woman with them against ber will, be began to I CprtHt k WMItai Mad BJk I 1 CHAPTER XX Continued. 1J . . Tm not going to argue this with you. And I'm net going to tell you rbat I think of you beyond saying that we're through with you. The less said about It the tetter. Man, don't you see I don't want to have ay more talk about it? The engage- ment was a mistake in the first place. Be never loved you. Even If you'd ifceea what we thought you, It wouldn't vav done. She' lucky to have found t in time." "Is this a business rupture, too, i Mr. Whltford r "Just as you say about that, Brom- 1 field. As an Investor In the Bird Cage you're entitled to the same consldera- 1 ties that any other stockholder Is. Slice you're the second largest owner you've a right to recognition on the board of directors. I'm not mixing my private affairs with business." She too sensed what was coming, and the sex Instinct In her was on tiptoe In flight. She was throbbing with excitement. Her whole being longed to hear what he had to tell her. Yet she dodged for a way of escape. Silences were too significant, too full-pulsed. full-pulsed. She made herself talk. 1 It did not much matter about what "Why didn't you tell us that it was Mr. Bromfleld who struck down that man Collins? Why did you let us think you did It?" she queried. "WeU, folks In New York don't know me. What was the use of gettln' him In bad?" weaken. His heart acted very strangely, strange-ly, but hs had to go through with It "C-can I see you a minute In the next car, Miss Beatrice?" h asked, his voice quavering. Miss Whltford lifted her eyebrows, but otherwise expressed no surprise. "Certainly, Johnnie." , He led the way down the aisle into the next sleeper and stopped at one of the staterooms. Shakily he opened the door and stood aside for her to pass first "You want me to go In here?" she asked. "Yes'm." Beatrice stepped In. Johnnie followed. happy. What did motor cars or win suppers or Paris gowns matter? They were the trappings that stressed her slavery. Here she moved beside her mate without fear or doubt in a world wonderful. Eye to eye, they spok th truth to, each other after the fashion of brave, simple souls. Glowing from the Ice-cold bath of water from a mountain stream, she stepped down the slope Into a slant of sunshine to join Clay. He looked up from the Are and waved a spoon gayly at her. For he too was as Jocund as , the da which stood tiptoe on the misty mis-ty mountain tops. They had come Into the hills to spend their honeymoon alone together, and life spoke to him - " ill " Clay rose from the lounge and said, "Glad to see you, Miss Whltford." "Did you bring me here to say good-by. good-by. Johnnie?" asked Beatrice. The Runt's tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth. His eyes appealed dumbly dumb-ly to Clay. . . - - "Better explain to Miss Whltford," said Clay, passing the buck. , "It's for yore good, Miss Beatrice," stammered the villain who had brought her. "We we I I don brought you here to travel home with us." ' , "You wnatr Before her slender, outraged dignity Johnnie wilted. "Kitty, she she can chaperoon you. It's all right, ma'am. I we I didn't go for to do oothin that wasn't proper. We thought" "You mean that you brought me here expecting me to go along with you without my consent without a trunk without " aay took charge of the kidnaping. "Johnnie, if I were you I'd light a shuck back to the other car. I see I'll have to treat this lady rough as you advised." Bromfleld rose, pulled on the glove fa had removed, nodded good-bye without offering to shake hands, and sauntered out of the office. There was a look on his face the mining man did not like. It occurred to Whltford that Clarendon, now stripped of self-'j self-'j respect by the knowledge of the re- ' gard in which they held him, was In a position to strike back hard if he eared to do so. The right to vote the proxies of the small stockholders of I the Bird Cage company had been made I out In his name at the request of the I president of the corporation. . The case against Durand was pigeonholed pigeon-holed by the district attorney without with-out much regret All through the underworld un-derworld where his Influence had been strong, It was known that Jerry had , begged off. He was discredited among his following and was politically a down-and-outer. But he knew too much to permit him to be dragged Into court safely. With his back to the wall be might tell of many shady transactions Implicating yromlnenf people. There were strong influences which did not want him pressed too hard. Th charge remained on the docket but It was set back from term to term snd never brought to trial. Colin Whltford found his attention pretty fully absorbed by his own affairs. af-fairs. Bromfleld had opened a fight against him for control of the Bird Cage company. The mine bad been developed by the Coloradoan from an unlikely prospect Into a well-paying concern. It was the big business venture of his life and he took a strong personal Interest in running It Now, because of Bromfleld's intention to use for his own advantage the proxies road out in his name, be was likely to lose control. With Bromfleld In charge the property might be wrecked before he could be ousted. "Dad's worrying," Beatrice told Lindsay. "He's sfrald he'll lose control con-trol of the mine. There's a fight on against him." "What for? I thought yore father was a mighty competent operator. Don't the stockholders know when they're well off?" She looked at him enigmatically. "Some one he trusted has turned out a traitor. That happens occasionally occasional-ly In business, you know." It was from Colin himself that Clay learned the name of the traitor. "It's that fellow Bromfleld," he explained. ex-plained. "He's the secretary and second sec-ond largest stockholder In the company. com-pany. The annual election Is to be tomorrow to-morrow afternoon. He's got me where the wool's short ' I was fool enough friends have bought and paid for in the open market. The more It hurts Whltford the better I'U be pleased," answered Bromfleld, his manner of cynical Indifference swept away by gathering rage. The Interference of this "bounder" filled him with a passion pas-sion of Impotent hate. "Is that quite correct? Did you buy control In the market? In point of fact' aren't you holdln' a bunch of proxies because Whltford wrote and asked the stockholders to sign 'them for you to vote? What you intend in-tend doing is a moral fraud, no matter mat-ter what its legal aspect is. You'd be swindling the very stockholders you claim to represent, as well as abusing the confidence of Whltford." "What you think Isn't of the least Importance to me, Mr. Lindsay. If you're here merely to offer me your advice, I suppose I shall now have regretfully to say good-day." The New Yorker rose, a thin lip smile scarcely veiling hla anger at this intruder in-truder who had brought bis hopes to nothing. "I reckon m not hurry off, Mr. Bromfleld," Clay replied easily. "You might think I was mad at you. I'll stick around awhile and talk this over." "Unfortunately I have an engagement," engage-ment," retorted the other Icily. "When?" "I really think, Mr. Lindsay, that is my business." "I'm makin' It mine," said Clay curtly. Bromfleld stared. "I beg your pardon par-don r "I said it was mine too. You see I bought a coupla shares of Bird Cage stock yesterday. I'd hate to see Whltford Whlt-ford ousted from control. I've got confidence In him." "It's your privilege to vote that stock this afternoon. At least it would be If It bad been transferred to you on the books. Fll vote my stock according to my own views." "I wonder." murmured Clay aloud. "What's that?" snapped Bromfleld. "I was Just flgurln' on what would happen If you got sick and couldn't attend at-tend that annual meeting this afternoon," after-noon," drawled the westerner. "I reckon mebbe some of the stockholders stockhold-ers you've got lined up would break away and join Whltford." The New Yorker felt a vague alarm. What idea did this fellow have in the back of his head. Did he Intend to do bodily violence to him? Without any delay Bromfleld reached for the telephone. The large brown hand of the west-, west-, prner closed over his. In accents wholly joyous. The wind and sun caressed her. As she moved toward him, a breath of the morning flung the gown about her so that each step modeled anew the slender limbs. Her husband watched the girl streaming down the slope, tove swift as old wine flooded his veins. He rose, caught her to him, and looked down Into the deep, still eyes that wer ;. pools of happiness. ' , "Are you glad glad aU through, sweetheart?" bo demanded. A little laugh welled from her throat She gave him a tender, tuocmng smile, "I hope heaven's Ilk this," sh whispered. "You don't regret New York not a 1 single, hidden longing tor It 'way down deep in yore heart?" Site shook her head. "I always wanted to be rescued from the environment en-vironment that was stifling me, but I didn't know a way of escape till you came," she said. "Then you knew it?" "From the moment I saw you tie ( the Janitor to the hltchlng-post You remember I was waiting to go riding "You know that wasn't the reason. You did it because" She stopped In the midst of the sentence. It had occurred oc-curred to her that this subject was more dangerous even than silence. "I did It because he was the man you were goln to marry," he said. They moved side by side through J the shadows. In the faint light he ! could make out the fine line of her exquisite throat, After a moment she spoke. "You're a good friend, Clay. It was a big thing to do. I don't know anybody else except Dad that would have done It for me." "You don't know anybody else that loves you as much as I do." , It was out at last, quietly and without with-out any dramatics. A flash of soft eyes darted at him, then veiled the shining tendernes beneath long lashes. Tve had an attack of common sense," he went on, and In his voice was a strength both audacious and patient "I thought at first I couldn't hope to win you because of your fortune for-tune and what It had done for you. Even when I knew 'you liked me I felt It wouldn't be fair for me to ask you. I couldn't offer you the advantages ad-vantages yon'd had. But I've changed my mind. I've been watching what money does to yore friends. It makes them soft. They flutter around tike butterflies. They're paupers a good many of them because they dont pay (heir way. A man's a tramp If he doesn't saw wood for his breakfast I don't want you to get like that, and if you stay here long enough you sure will. It's In my heart that If you'll come with me we'll live." In the darkness she made a rustling movement toward him. A little sob welled up in her throat as her hands lifted to him. "Oh, Clay I I've fought against it. I didn't want to, but I love you. Oh, I do love youl" He took her lissom young body in his arms. Her Hps lifted to his. Presently they walked forward slowly. slow-ly. Clay had never seen her more lovely love-ly and radiant though tears still clung to the outskirts of her Joy, "I Think Ife D d Impertinent of You to Come Her Meddling In My Business." proxies in the Bird Cage company to return the present board and directorate." direc-torate." "That's coercion." "Well, so it la." "The law" "Did you go hire a lawyer for an opinion before you paid Durand to do me up?" "You've got no right to hold me a prisoner here to help Whltford." "All right, f won't. Ill finish my business with you and when I'm through, you can go to the annual meetln if you feel up to traveltn' that far." "Ill give you a thousand dollars to let me alone." "That'd be a thousand and fifty you had given me, wouldn't it?" returned Lindsay gayly. Tears of vexation stood In Bromfleld's Brom-fleld's eyes. "All right Let me go. I'll be fair to Whltford and arrange a deal with blra." "Get the stockholders who're with you on the 'phone and tell 'em to vote their stock as Whltford thinks best Get Whltford and tell him the fight's off." "If I do, will you let me go?" "If you don't we'll return to the nrevlous Question the annual meet- Johnnie wanted o expostulate, to deny that he had ever given such counsel, to advise an abandonment of the whole project But hla nerve unexpectedly un-expectedly failed him. He glanced at Clay and fied. He was called upon th carpet Immediately Im-mediately on Joining Kitty. "What are you up to, Johnnie? I'm not going to have you make a goose of yourself If I can help It And where's Mr. Lindsay? You said he'd meet us here." "Clay, he's in tbe next car." "You took Miss Beatrice In there to say good-by to him?" "No sheshe's goln' along ",vlth us." "Going along with us? What do you mean, Johnnie Green?" He told her his story, not at all cheerfully. Ills bold plan looked very jfferrot nrv fmm 'it It h?d two days before. Sa , to ask the smaller stockholders to make opt their proxies lr his name. At that time be was hand In glove with us. Now I'm up against It. He's going to name the board of directors and have himself made president." Clay ventured on thin Ice. The name of Bromfleld had not been mentioned to him before in the last twenty-four hours by either Beatrice or her father. "Surely Bromfleld wouldn't wont to offend you." "That's exactly what he would want to do." "But" "He's got his reasons." "When Is the election?" "At three o'clock." "Where?" "At the company offices." i "Perhaps If 1 talked with Bromfleld" Brom-fleld" Whltford laughed shortly. "I'd talk an arm off him If It would do any good. But It won't. He's out for revenge." Clay's eyes allphted swiftly on the older man. They tisked gravely a question ques-tion and found an answer that set his heart singing, r.entrlce had broken brok-en her engagement with Bromfleld. It whs n little afttr eleven o'clock next morning when the cattleman walked Into an apnrtment bonne for bachelor, took the elevator, and rang the hell ut itromfleUl's door. ClHrojinn, frenii from the bunds 'of Ids vn'et, H:iln fie was glad to e Uwlsn. hut Old not look It. He bf- . ! 1 "I'm talklu' to you, Mr. Bromfleld. It's not polite for you to start 'phoning, 'phon-ing, not even to the police, whilst we're still engaged In conversation." "Don't you try to interfere with me," said the roan who paid the telephone bill. "I'll not submit to such an indignity." in-dignity." "I'm not the only one that interferes. inter-feres. You fixed up quite an entertainment entertain-ment for me the other night, didn't you? Wouldn't you kinds call that Interfcrin' some? I sure ought to comb yore hair for It" Bromfleld made a hasty decision to get out. He started for the door. Clay traveled In that direction too. They arrived simultaneously. Clarendon Claren-don backed away. The Arlznnun locked the door and pocketed the key. Ills host grew weakly violent. From Whltford he had heard a story about two men In a locked room that did not reasmire him now. One of tbe men, had been this cattleman. Tbe other well, lie bad suffered. "Let me out! I'll not Htand this I You eun'r bully me!" he cried shrilly. "Don't pull yore plcket-pln. Bromfleld," Brom-fleld," advised Lindsay. "I've elected myself boss of the rodeo. What I siiy goes. You'll Kuvft yorese'f a heap of worry If you muke up yore mind to that right awny." "What do you want? What are you trying to do? Pin not a burrwona lnj, cf tfie BrcmCeld Pen'shmsnt c?n!-puny, c?n!-puny, Limited." Bromfleld got busy with the tele-, tele-, phone. When he had finished, Clay strolled over to a bookcase, cast his eyes over the shelves, and took out a book. It was "Dnvld Harum." He found an easy-chair, threw a leg over one arm, and presently began to cfiuekle. "Are you going to keep me here all day?" asked his host sulkily. "Only till about four o'clock. We're paired, you and me, so we'll both stay away from the election. Why don't you pick a good book and enjoy yore-self? yore-self? There's a lot of A 1 readln' In that case over there. It'll sure Improve Im-prove yore mind." Clarendon ground his teeth Impotent- iy. Ills guest continued to grin over the good stories of the old horsctrader. When be closed the book t last, be bad finished It. Ills watch told him t lint It was twenty minutes to five. Bromfleld's man was nt the door trying try-ing to get In. lie met Lindsay going out "No, I can't stay to ten today, Mr, Bromfleld,". the Ariflman was saying, a gleam of mirth In hts eyes. "No use urging me. Honest, I've really got to be going. Had a fine time, didn't we? So long." Bromfleld uirad bad laiiuse. "We're going to live oh, every hour!" she cried to the stars, her lover's band in hers. . Johnnie felt that Kitty's farewell dinner had gone very well. It was her first essay as a hostess, and alt of them had enjoyed themselves. But, so far as he could see, it had not achieved the results for which they had been hoptng. Clay came home late nnd next morning morn-ing was full of plans nbout leaving."- "Two more days and we'll hit the trull for good old Tucson," he snld cheerfully. "Y'betchn, by Jollies," agreed his bandy-legged shadow. None the less Johnnie was distressed. dis-tressed. He believed that bis friend was concealing an aching' heart beneath be-neath all this attention to Impending details. As a Benedict he considered It his duty to help the rest of the world get married loo. A bachelor was u boob. He didn't know what was best for him. Same way with u girl. Clay was fond of Miss Beatrice, and she thought a heap of him. You couldn't fool 'Johnnie. No, since I Well, then? Mooning on the snd plight of these two friends who were too coy or too J perverse to know what wus hest (Vr Uieru, Johnnie suddenly slaj ptd hlia- Kltty rose with decision. "Welt, of , all the foolishness I ever heard, Johnnie, John-nie, this Is tbe limit I'm going right to that poor girl. You've spoiled everything, every-thing, between you. She'll hate Mr. Lindsay for the rest of her life. How could he be so stupid V Her husband followed her, crestfallen. crestfal-len. He wanted to weep with chagrin. Beatrice opened the door of the stateroom. She had taken off her hat and Cloy was hanging it on a hook. "Come in," she said cordially, but faintly. Kitty did not quite understand. The atmosphere wus less electric thun she had expected. She stopped, taken aback at certain impressions that began be-gan to register themselves on her brain. "Johnnie was tellln' me " "About how he abducted me. Yes. Wasn't It dear of him?" "But" "I've decided to make the bestief It and go along." I your "'father, Mr. Whltford'' Kitty bogged down. ' Beatrice blushed. Little dimples curne out with her smile. "I think I'd better let Clay explain." "We were married two days so, Kitty." "I Hope Hsavuo'k uk This," She Whispered. with Mr. Bromfleld. Well, I was bored to death with correct clothes anu manners man-ners und thinking. I knew just what he would say to me and bow he would say It and what I would answer. Then you walked Into the picture and took me hack to nature." "It wns the hltchlng-post that did It, then?" "The hitchlng-.iost began It, anyhow," any-how," Hhe slipped her arms around his neck und held him fast. "Oh, Clay, Isn't It just too good to he true?" A ball of lire pushed up Into tne crotch between two mountain peaks and found them like a searchlight, tilling till-ing their little valley with a golden glow. T1IF. KND |