rental go toward educating the children."

"Very creditable to your heart," said the judge. "But practically the
result would be that the interest would accumulate and compound, and
that when these young people had received the education which is the key
to Success the property would be saddled with a very heavy encumbrance,
more, in fact, than they might care to assume."

"Well," snapped Mr. Braden, "what would you have me do? Insist on my
interest and rob these poor children of their chance of life?"

"Very hard situation, isn't it?" said the judge blandly. "It is just as
well to look it in the face, though. If, some years hence, the children
couldn't pay off these mortgage arrears the property would have to be
sold. In fact you might be forced to buy it in to protect yourself."

"Do you suggest--"

"I don't suggest anything. Let us look at another angle of it. Suppose
the place is rented and a crop or two fails and the lessee proves
incompetent. Then the time comes when, to educate the children, the
property, or some of it, must be sold. Again you might be forced to buy
it in to protect yourself."

"I don't want the ranch," Mr. Braden said.

"No, of course not. But that is the situation. Now young Angus is a
well-grown boy. I think he can run the ranch fairly well. The other
children are going to a school which is good enough for their present
needs. Angus feels very strongly about the matter. In fact I think he
would ask me to oppose any endeavor to rent the place."

"Are you threatening me with a lawsuit?"

"Not at all. There can be no action unless there are grounds for one,
and of course a wise trustee walks very carefully. That's all I have to
say. Good morning, Braden."

Mr. Braden from his window looked after the bulky, square-set figure of
the old lawyer as he made his way down the street.

"You will, will you, you old bum!" he muttered. Then his gaze shifted to
a large map of the district which hung on the wall. For some minutes he
contemplated it, and then his pudgy finger tapped the exact spot which
represented the Mackay ranch. Then half aloud he uttered an eternal
truth. "There's sev'ral ways," said Mr. Braden, "of skinning a cat."

CHAPTER V

ANGUS IN LOVE AND WAR

The judge merely told Angus that if he could work the ranch properly it
would not be rented; and thus encouraged he buckled into the work. The
responsibility thrust on him changed his outlook even more than he
himsel