der, an unknown and uncanvassed source, a little runt of a man
with more confidence and assurance than his size would warrant, was
offering to take over the ranch and assume the problem. Aaron Logan
regarded it as a slender chance--could not believe that one so small
could have earned so much--but he would take the chance. He headed his
car up Willow Street to stop at the bank's rear door. He waved Adine
to a favorable parking space.

"I will call Mr. Limeledge, my lawyer, to draw up a contract," he said
as the party of five were seated in the back room.

"Well, that's hardly necessary," said Davy. "If you jot down a memo
that you will make a deed to David Lannarck to the Bar-O ranch upon
payment, on or before October 18th, 1932, of four thousand dollars in
cash and a probable expenditure of two hundred dollars in getting
possession, and sign it, I will also sign it and it will be an
agreement. But before we do anything, I want to get on the phone to
see if I can contact Ralph Gaynor. None of you folks really know me. I
want you to listen in so that we can get acquainted. Here's the money
for the long distance call," he added. "Tell the operator that it's
OK."

Aaron Logan didn't like being told what to do, especially by a little
cocksure midget. But there was the matter of getting rid of a bad
problem. He complied with Davy's request.

"This is David Lannarck at phone fifty. I want to talk to Ralph
Gaynor, at phone BA two hundred in the Dollar Savings Bank in
Springfield. Yes, that's the state. I should have said so, for it's a
grand old commonwealth. I'll be right here for an hour."

In the lull of waiting, Aaron Logan wondered--wondered how one so
small hoped to depose one so fierce and stubborn. He would find out.
"Do you think you can get Hulls and Maizie out of there by
Thanksgiving?" he inquired politely.

"It doesn't really matter," said David languidly. "But I must try to
get acquainted with 'em; make friends with 'em if I can."

"Why do you hope to persuade 'em to get off?" exclaimed the
astonished receiver. "I've seen 'em. They're impossible."

"Maybe you didn't see 'em at their best," replied the midget quietly.
"I've never seen either of them, but I've had several descriptions
from others and this Maizie shows possibilities."

"Possibilities for what?" snorted Logan. "That woman is a she-devil
that would commit murder to gain her ends. She wouldn't listen to a
governor granting her a reprieve. An