t close-set
lips; a firm decided step. Withal, a not unpleasant man; but one who
suggested that the pleasure of acquiring money and the pleasure of
spending it, had appropriate and distinct seasons. He acknowledged
Winston's introduction with a quick look at Elijah.

"From what Mr. Winston said, I expected to meet an older man, Mr. Berl."

"That's all right, Mr. Seymour," Winston put in. "We don't put new wine
in old bottles out here. This is a new country. Elijah is a new man, and
he's chuck full of new ideas."

"I'm getting near enough to the age limit to make your figure rather
doubtful, so far as I am concerned." Seymour's features relaxed in a
grim smile as he pointed to his gray hair.

"We don't count a horse old, so long as he can kick the top rail off a
fence."

Seymour looked closely at Winston, but made no reply. He began to talk
with Elijah. At first, Elijah was conscious of the momentous importance
of the interview; but this did not prevent him from grasping the import
of Seymour's questions and answering clearly and to the point. Gradually
he lost himself in his subject and poured forth fact after fact,
estimate on estimate, with such rapidity that Seymour felt compelled at
times to interrupt him.

"This is new business to me, Mr. Berl. I can't keep up with you." He
spoke sharply, almost impatiently, but his manner showed that he was
deeply impressed, both with the proposition and with Elijah himself.

"That is a strong presentation of your proposition, Mr. Berl. Now I want
a few definite answers to definite questions. As I understand you, you
propose to do something entirely new. What warrant have you for
believing that oranges can be successfully grown in this district?
Oranges are a tropical fruit."

"People are used to thinking that oranges are a tropical fruit. They
aren't. Look at Spain, and France, and Italy. They are famous for this
very fruit. Here," Elijah swept his hands around, "those conditions are
reproduced. Here are the San Bernadinos, there the Pacific, between are
desert hills. Bring water to this sunshine and soil, and California will
become the garden of the New World."

Seymour smiled at Elijah's enthusiasm. His words were fervid, but
Seymour realized their truth.

"That's all right for Spain, and Italy and the rest; but those countries
are only a few hours by water from three hundred millions of people,
while California is six days by rail from sixty millions, and high rate