ur shadowy claim to
the illegal Moreno grant."

"Well, I can't tell you offhand just what I'll do, Don Manuel. Make your
proposition to me in writing, and one month from to-day I'll let you
know whether it's yes or no."

"But the _senorita_ wants to make improvements--to build, to fence.
Delay is a hardship. Let us say a thousand dollars and make an end."

"Not if the court knows itself. You say she's young. A month's wait
won't hurt her any. I want to look into it. Maybe you're offering me too
much. A fifth of a cent an acre is a mighty high price for land. I don't
want any fairest daughter of Spain to rob herself for me, you know," he
grinned.

"I exceed my instructions. I offer two thousand, Mr. Gordon."

"If you said two hundred thousand, I'd still say no till I had looked it
up. I'm not doing business to-day at any price, thank you."

"You are perhaps of an impression that this land is valuable. On the
contrary, I offer an assurance. And our need of your shadowy claim----"

"I ain't burdened with impressions, except one, that I don't care to
dispose of my ghost-title. We'll talk business a month from to-day, if
you like. No sooner. Have a smoke, Don Manuel?"

Pesquiera declined the proffered cigar with an impatient gesture. He
rose, reclaimed his hat and cane, and clicked his heels together in a
stiff bow.

He was a slight, dark, graceful man, with small, neat hands and feet,
trimly gloved and shod. He had a small black mustache pointing upward in
parallels to his smooth, olive cheeks. The effect was almost foppish,
but the fire in the snapping eyes contradicted any suggestion of
effeminacy. His gaze yielded nothing even to the searching one of
Gordon.

"It is, then, war between us, Senor Gordon?" he asked haughtily.

Dick laughed.

"Sho! It's just business. Maybe I'll take your offer. Maybe I won't. I
might want to run down and look at the no-'count land," he said with a
laugh.

"I think it fair to inform you, sir, that the feeling of the country
down there is in favor of the Valdes grant. The peons are hot-tempered,
and are likely to resent any attempt to change the existing conditions.
Your presence, _senor_, would be a danger."

"Much obliged, Don Manuel. Tell 'em from me that I got a bad habit of
wearing a six-gun, and that if they get to resenting too arduous it's
likely to ventilate their enthusiasm."

Once more the New Mexican bowed stiffly before he retired.

Pesquiera had overplayed h