erwhelming forces of its
invader. But its sufferings, under the rhythmic rise and fall imposed
upon it, found expression at intervals, although they failed to inspire
the least sympathy. The heedless giant's whole attention seemed to be
absorbed in the personality and effort of his friend.

Finally the latter raised a pair of deep blue eyes. Following upon a
sigh, he thrust his papers aside with a brusque movement of relief.
Then he raised a hand to his broad forehead and smoothed his disheveled
fair hair, which seemed to have undergone some upheaval as a result of
the mental disturbance his efforts had inspired in the brain beneath.
The handsome eyes smiled a reassuring smile into the rugged face of his
friend.

"Well?" he enquired, without seeming to desire a reply.

"Wal?" echoed the gruff voice of the man in the rocker.

"It's done."

"So--I guessed."

The patient amusement in the twinkling eyes of the man in the rocker
was good to see. There was confidence, too, in his regard of the
younger man.

"Can we do it--sure?" he enquired, as the other remained silent.

"Without a worry."

"Then dope it out, boy. The easiest thing in the world is handin' out
dollars on a right enterprise. I don't know nothin' better--except it
is takin' 'em in on the same sort o' play."

Jeffrey Masters smiled more broadly into his friend's good-humored face.

"Five years back, handing out twenty thousand dollars would have given
us a nightmare, even on a right proposition," he said. "It isn't that
way now. Guess we'll sleep on this thing like new-born babes with our
tanks filled right. Nat Williams is out to sell quick, and if we're
bright, it's up to us to buy quick. For twenty thousand dollars," he
proceeded, referring to his figures, "we get his house, barns, corrals,
and all his rolling stock. His growing crops and machinery. The bunch
of old cows and calves he's pleased to call his 'herds.' Also three
teams of Shire-bred heavy draft horses, and six hundred and forty acres
of first-class wheat land and grazing that only needs capital and
hustle to set right on top. I don't guess it'll worry us any to hand
it all it needs that way. This buy will join up my 'O----' territory
with your 'T.T.' grazing, and will turn the combination into one of the
finest ranching propositions west of Calthorpe, and one which even
Montana needs to be proud of."

He leaned back in his chair with a certain air of satisfaction. B