it is. With
your permission the Calford Trust Co. shall put in a competent manager,
whose salary shall be paid out of the profits. The balance of said
profits shall be handed Over to your creditors, less an annual income to
you of fifteen hundred dollars. Thus the principal of your debts, at a
careful computation, should be liquidated in seven years. In
consideration of thus shortening the period of the loans by three years
the Calford Trust Co. shall allow you a rebate of five per cent,
interest. Failing the profits in seven years amounting to the sums of
money required, the Calford Trust Co. and myself will forego the balance
due to us. Let me plainly assure you that this is no philanthropic
scheme but the result of practical calculation. The advantage to you is
obvious. An assured income during that period, and your ranch well and
ably managed and improved. Your property at the end of seven years will
return to you a vastly more valuable possession than it is at present.
And we, on our part, will recover our money and interest without the
unpleasant reflection that, in doing so, we have beggared you."

Lablache, usurer, scoundrel, smiled benignly at his companion as he
pronounced his concluding words. The Hon. Bunning-Ford looked, thought,
and looked again. He began to think that Lablache was meditating a more
rascally proceeding than he had given him credit for. His words were so
specious. His pie was so delicately crusted with such a tempting
exterior. What was the object of this magnanimous offer? He felt he must
know more.

"It sounds awfully well, but surely that is not all. What, in return, is
demanded of me?"

Lablache had carefully watched the effect of his words. He was wondering
whether the man he was dealing with was clever beyond the average, or a
fool. He was still balancing the point in his mind when Bill put the
question.

Lablache looked away, produced a snuff-box and drew up a large pinch of
snuff before answering. He blew his nose with trumpet-like vehemence on
a great red bandana.

"The only return asked of you is that you vacate the country for the
next two years," he said heavily. And in that rejoinder "Lord" Bill
understood the man's guile.

It was a sudden awakening, but it came to him as no sort of surprise. He
had long suspected, although he had never given serious credence to his
suspicions, the object the money-lender had in inveigling both himself
and "Poker" John into their presen