tinent questions, made an occasional suggestion. Then
he rose to his feet and put out his hand.

'Drop in and see us when you're in town and have the time,' he said
cordially. 'Mrs. Engle was speaking of you only the other day. You'll
want to be on your way now. I'll let you have five thousand on your
equity and let the other fifteen hundred ride with it, making one note
for sixty-five hundred. I think that if you work things right and hold
down expenses and make the sales and purchases and other sales you have
in mind, you'll get away with your deal. Just the same, my boy,' and
for an instant there came into his eyes the fighting look which had
been there frequently in the day when he fought out his own battles,
'you've got a man's-sized job on your hands.'

'I know it,' said Alan. And when, the proper papers signed, he said
good-bye, his eyes brightened and he said directly: 'It's a great
thing, John Engle, to have a man's-sized man to talk things over with.'

From his window Engle musingly watched the tall form go out to the
horse at the hitching-post and swing up into the saddle.

'Now what's happened between him and John Carr?' he asked himself. And
without hesitation he answered his own question: 'A girl, I suppose.
Well, she ought to be a real girl to do that.'

Howard, riding joyously back toward Desert Valley, thought first of
Helen. But not even Helen could hold all of his thoughts when at
length his horse's hoofs fell again upon the rim of Desert Valley Land.
Upon the bordering hills of the southern edge of the valley he drew
rein and sat, lost in thought. He saw herds feeding, and they were his
herds and he himself did not know their exact number. He must know;
the game was swiftly becoming one where pawns count. He saw a man
riding; it was his man, whom he must direct and pay. He saw water
running in one of his larger creeks, and thought how it too must be
made to work for him. Yonder were colts running wild; there were more
than he required at present. They must be broken; they could be sold.
He looked across empty acres, rich pasture lands void of grazing stock.
A slow, thoughtful frown gathered in his eyes; he must somehow put
stock into them, stock to be bought skilfully and sold skilfully. All
of this glorious sweep of country stretching to the four corners of the
compass was his, his very own, if he were man enough to go on with the
work to which he had somewhat lightly set his han