mpse of this
eyesore, a high barrier of trellis-work had been erected about two
hundred feet distant from the Mirador. Over this barrier some
quick-climbing creepers had been trained, and they had grown in such
thick masses that an almost impenetrable green wall had already grown
up between the big house and the tiny one.

"This will suit me exactly," said Denin, trying to speak coolly. "We'll
drive back at once, please, to the agent who has the selling of the
Mirador."

* * * * *

He was almost afraid to hear the price, lest his last dollar might not
suffice to secure the treasure. But the agent in whose hands "old
Drake" had put his business named the sum of two thousand dollars.
This, he said, was a mere song for land so near Santa Barbara; and, no
doubt, he was right. But it was a large slice of John Sanbourne's
capital, and left him only a small remnant for repairing the place, as
he must agree to do before the contract could be signed.

The journey from New York had cost a good deal, and--he must live
somehow, unless he could get work fitted for a "lame dog" to do. Mr.
Sibley had talked vaguely of "royalties," but it seemed impossible to
Denin that many people should actually care to _buy_ his book--the
strange little book written for himself, and sent wandering out into
the world to find Barbara. Even if people did buy it, the sales could
surely never go beyond the three thousand dollars Eversedge Sibley had
recklessly pressed upon him in advance! However, Denin did not hesitate
for any of these reasons. "I'll buy the Mirador and the acre and a half
of ground Mr. Drake is willing to sell with it," he said to the agent.
"And I'd like to pay for it if possible and settle up everything
to-day. Then I could move into the house at once."

The agent stared. "There's no furniture," he said.

"I can get in enough to begin with, in an hour or two, surely," Denin
persisted. "I'm used to roughing it."

The other could well believe that, from the look of the queer fellow!
As a business man, he would certainly not accept a check, and would be
inclined to ask expert opinion even on bank notes, paid by an unknown
client with such scars, and such clothes, and in such a hurry!

"You could hardly live in the house while the repairs you must agree to
are being made," the agent reminded the would-be buyer. "Don't you
think you had better--"

"I can manage all right," Denin cut short the advi