erience
in the cattle business, and with your energy and planning and his
experience, you ought to make a lot of money when this depression is
over."

"Well, I'm not so interested in the money-making as I am in making a
success out of this liability. Of course I want it to pay its own way,
pay for improved livestock, buildings, fencing, and the like. But I'm
not much interested in piling up useless money in a resisting bank. Of
course, when Ralph Gaynor comes out to visit us--he's the gent that
introduced me over the phone--when Ralph comes out, he'd like to see a
fat bank account and talk woozy stuff of safety margins, earned
increments and that crazy rot, but I yearn to show him a going
concern, a likeable thing, prideful of its upbuilding.

"Landy and I will get along all right. He's the only one of you that
sasses back, offers objections, overrules plans. He won't like it at
all if I'm out with the colt and a couple of beagle hounds chasing
jack rabbits when there's hay to put up, but that's the way we'll get
along.

"Landy will fuss if we can introduce electricity on the ranch, but he
will weaken a little when he finds that it grinds the feed,
refrigerates a whole beef, and cooks a meal without splitting
kindling. And if a little surplus money accumulates, he would totally
veto the plan of laying out a Spanish patio enclosing fine white
buildings with red tile roofs and fancy grilles--"

"Why, that would be fine!" exclaimed the listener. "Would you do
that?"

"Naw," said the midget, "but if the occasion arises, I will introduce
the subject just to see my old mentor paw around and fling dirt. It
will keep him from rusting out, as you call it."

"Do you plan moving over there--if you get possession?"

"No, I will live, or rather headquarter, with Welborn as long as he
lets me. Landy says that a rough, hazardous trail just back of our
house leads directly to the near corner of the property. It's the
route of the old proposed road to the Tranquil Meadows. We're to try
that trail this morning, and I will have to stop and tell Welborn what
I am doing. He will be surprised, but not interested. Welborn is
self-centered on getting some 'quick' money. When he gets that done
he's going to be busy using it, either to straighten out his own
financial affairs or to down or suppress some financier that has
busted in on his plans. In either event, we will lose him. Welborn
doesn't belong out here. He belongs in the jam,