r
reasons"--Reedy squinted his large eyes a little mysteriously--"a lot
of the ranchers over there after getting their land in good shape have
got cold feet and are willing to sell leases that have three or four
years yet to run for nearly nothing.

"I'm acquiring a bunch of them and am going to make a fortune out of
them. One of these days the price of cotton will take a jump, and I'll
be subleasing ten thousand acres of land at ten dollars an acre that
cost me three.

"Now what I want you for"--he brought his attention down squarely to
Rogeen--"is to buy leases for me--I'll give you a list of what I want
and the prices I'll pay. If you get a lease for less, I'll give you
half the rake-off in addition to your wages."

Bob thought fast. This looked like a fine opportunity; perhaps he was
worth more as a buyer than as a salesman.

"I'll have a try at it," he said. "But I won't sign up for any length
of time until I see how it goes."

"That suits me," Reedy assented readily. His one fear had been that
Bob might want a term contract.

"I'll see Dayton," Bob arose, "and let you know how soon he can let me
off."

Dayton liked Bob and hated to lose him, but was one of those employers
who prefer to suffer some inconvenience or loss rather than stand in
the way of a young man's advancement.

"A hundred and fifty dollars a month is more than I can pay, Rogeen,"
he said. "You'd better take it. Begin at once. I'll get Jim Moody in
your place."

At one o'clock Bob was back at Jenkins' office and reported ready for
work.

Reedy reached in his desk for the map on which all the ranches below
the line were carefully marked.

"The ranches I want to get first are along the Dillenbeck Canal. It is
a private water system, and the water costs more; but the land is rich
enough to make up the difference.

"The first one I want you to tackle is here"--he made a cross with his
pencil--"Belongs to a little dried-up old geezer named Chandler. He is
ready to sell; talk to the girl. Five hundred is my top price for
their lease and equipment."

As Bob went down the outside stairway he passed a Mexican going up--a
Mexican with features that suggested some one of his immediate
forefathers was probably a Hebrew. Rogeen recognized him--his name was
Madrigal; and he remembered that someone had told him that the Mexican
was in the secret service over the line, or rather that he was an
unofficial bearer of official informatio