g stock and, compared to that, peddling
needles and pins from door to door is a snap. Talk it up big but don't
overdo it, for J. Collins Prescott is no yap."

"Leave him to me," Symes had replied confidently; "don't worry. If he
has got real money and is looking for a place to put it, I'll see that
he finds it." And Mudge, noting the warmth of his grasp, the heartiness
of his big voice, the steady frankness of the look which the westerner
sent into Prescott's eyes, felt that Symes was the man to do the trick
and congratulated himself upon his wisdom in sending for him.

"I--I've been looking through your prospectus, Mr. Symes," said J.
Collins Prescott after he had been duly presented with a cabana by that
gentleman, "and it is v-very attractive, I might say a-alluring."

Symes beamed benignly.

"You think so? I tell Mudge there's one fault I have to find with
it--it's too conservative."

"A good fault," commended Mr. Prescott.

"Yes, yes, of course, better that than overdrawn, and then it's always
an agreeable surprise to investors when they come out and look the
proposition over. If you are thinking seriously of this thing, Mr.
Prescott, I wish you could arrange to return with me. I invariably
advise it. Mr. Mudge tells me you have some idle money and I feel sure
that you could not place it where you'd get bigger returns."

"W-western irrigated lands have a-always interested me c-considerably,"
admitted Mr. Prescott, "but heretofore the estate which I represent has
confined itself chiefly to the acquirement of water-power sites and
their development. They--they're good investments in your opinion?"

"Undoubtedly," was Mr. Symes's emphatic reply. "Very; but they're
gettin' scarce, while the irrigating of arid lands is as yet in its
infancy."

"E-exactly. I feel that we should begin reaching out along those lines,
and although I am not greatly c-conversant with investments of this
nature, I can readily see their possibilities."

"No limit!" declared Symes. "Nothin' _but_! Takes capital of course, but
the returns are big and sure. That's what we are all looking for."

"I know little if anything of the actual construction of a ditch, but I
should presume that the personnel of the m-management would count for
much," ventured Mr. Prescott.

"Rather!" Symes replied abruptly, "and if I may say so--if you will
pardon me--the name of Symes is a valuable asset to any
enterprise--prestige, you know, and all that."