at Daylight, looking at it,
was reminded of the day when she first rode Bob.

"Wait," she said. "I want to say something. Elam, if you do this
insane thing, I won't marry you. I refuse to marry you."

Hegan, in spite of his misery, gave her a quick, grateful look.

"I'll take my chance on that," Daylight began.

"Wait!" she again interrupted. "And if you don't do this thing, I will
marry you."

"Let me get this proposition clear." Daylight spoke with exasperating
slowness and deliberation. "As I understand it, if I keep right on at
the business game, you'll sure marry me? You'll marry me if I keep on
working my head off and drinking Martinis?"

After each question he paused, while she nodded an affirmation.

"And you'll marry me right away?"

"Yes."

"To-day? Now?"

"Yes."

He pondered for a moment.

"No, little woman, I won't do it. It won't work, and you know it
yourself. I want you--all of you; and to get it I'll have to give you
all of myself, and there'll be darn little of myself left over to give
if I stay with the business game. Why, Dede, with you on the ranch
with me, I'm sure of you--and of myself. I'm sure of you, anyway. You
can talk will or won't all you want, but you're sure going to marry me
just the same. And now, Larry, you'd better be going. I'll be at the
hotel in a little while, and since I'm not going a step into the office
again, bring all papers to sign and the rest over to my rooms. And you
can get me on the 'phone there any time. This smash is going through.
Savvee? I'm quit and done."

He stood up as a sign for Hegan to go. The latter was plainly stunned.
He also rose to his feet, but stood looking helplessly around.

"Sheer, downright, absolute insanity," he muttered.

Daylight put his hand on the other's shoulder.

"Buck up, Larry. You're always talking about the wonders of human
nature, and here I am giving you another sample of it and you ain't
appreciating it. I'm a bigger dreamer than you are, that's all, and
I'm sure dreaming what's coming true. It's the biggest, best dream I
ever had, and I'm going after it to get it--"

"By losing all you've got," Hegan exploded at him.

"Sure--by losing all I've got that I don't want. But I'm hanging on to
them hundred and forty hair bridles just the same. Now you'd better
hustle out to Unwin and Harrison and get on down town. I'll be at the
hotel, and you can call me up any time."

He turned to Dede as s