hat-brims to him, when he could get a hearing without
blocking the exit.

He left the Boosters Club with his pulses bounding with pride and
importance. He had "come back"--as a man must who has imagination and
initiative. They could "watch his smoke," could Prouty.

There was not a member present who did not reach his home panting, to
shake his wife out of her slumbers to tell her that, at last, Toomey had
"got into something."

CHAPTER XXV

THE CHINOOK

Emblazoned on the front page of the Omaha paper upon which Mr. Pantin
relied to keep him abreast of the times was the announcement that both
mutton and wool had touched highwater mark in the history of the
sheep-raising industry.

Mr. Pantin moved into the bow window where the light was better and read
the article carefully. The Australian embargo, dust-storms in the
steppes of Russia, rumors of war, all had contributed to send prices
soaring. When he had concluded, he took the stub of a pencil from his
waistcoat pocket and made a computation in neat figures upon the margin.
As he eyed the total his mouth puckered in a whistle which changed
gradually to a grin of satisfaction.

"You can't keep a squirrel down in a timbered country," Mr. Pantin
chuckled aloud, ambiguously.

A pleased smile still rested upon his face when Mrs. Pantin entered.

"Priscilla, will you do me a favor?"

"Abram," reproachfully, "have I ever failed you? What is it?"

"The next time you have something going on here I want you to invite
Kate Prentice."

Mrs. Pantin recoiled.

"What!"

"Don't squawk like that!" said Mr. Pantin, irritably. "You do it often,
and it's an annoying mannerism."

"Do you quite realize what you are asking?" his wife demanded.

"Perfectly," replied Mr. Pantin, calmly. "I've passed the stage when I
talk to make conversation."

"But think how she's been criticised!"

Mr. Pantin got up impatiently.

"Oh, you virtuous dames--"

Mrs. Pantin's thin lips went shut like a rat-trap.

"Abram, are you twitting me?"

Mr. Pantin ignored the accusation, and observed astutely:

"I presume you've done your share of talking, and that's why--"

"She is impossible, and what you ask is impossible," Mrs. Pantin
declared firmly.

"It's not often that I ask a favor of you, Prissy." His tone was
conciliatory.

Mrs. Pantin met him half way and her voice was softer as she answered:

"I appreciate that, Abram, but there are a few of us who must keep up
th