g to compromise the loss on the operations on the South
Y.D. on a scale that was not merely just, but generous.

This settled, Transley proceeded to interest Y.D. in the work in which
he was now engaged. He drew a picture of activities in the little
metropolis such as stirred the rancher's incredulity.

"Well, well," Y.D. would say. "Transley, I've known that little hole for
about thirty years, an' never seen it was any good excep' to get drunk
in.... I've seen more things there than is down in the books."

"You wouldn't know the change that has come about in a few months," said
Transley, with enthusiasm. "Double shifts working by electric light,
Y.D! What do you think of that? Men with rolls of money that would choke
a cow sleeping out in tents because they can't get a roof over them.
Why, man, I didn't have to hunt a job there; the job hunted me. I could
have had a dozen jobs at my own price if I could have handled them. It's
just as if prosperity was a river which had been trickling through that
town for thirty years, and all of a sudden the dam up in the foothills
gives away and down she comes with a rush. Lots which sold a year ago
for a hundred dollars are selling now for five hundred--sometimes more.
Old ranchers living on the bald-headed a few years ago find themselves
today the owners of city property worth millions, and are dressing
uncomfortably, in keeping with their wealth, or vainly trying to drink
up the surplus. So far sense and brains has had nothing to do with it,
Y.D., absolutely nothing. It has been fool luck. But the brains are
coming in now, and the brains will get the money, in the long run."

Transley paused and lit another cigar. Y.D. rolled his in his lips,
reflectively.

"I mind some doin's in that burg," he said, as though the memory of them
was of greater importance than all that might be happening now.

Transley switched back to business. "We ought to be in on it, Y.D.,"
he said. "Not on the fly-by-night stuff; I don't mean that. But I could
take twice the contracts if I had twice the outfit."

Y.D. brought his chair down on to all four legs and removed his cigar.

"You mean we should hit her together?" he demanded.

"It would be a great compliment to me, if you had that confidence in me,
and I'm sure it would make some good money for you."

"How'd you work it?"

"You have a bunch of horses running here on the ranch, eating their
heads off. Many of them are broke, and the others