talk to him about that yer boundary land."

Mr. Ford's scepticism was at last staggered. Any practical joke or
foolish complicity between the agent of the bank and a man like
Uncle Ben was out of the question, and if the story were his own sole
invention, he would have scarcely dared to risk so accessible and
uncompromising a denial as the agent had it in his power to give.

He held out his hand to Uncle Ben. "Let me congratulate you," he said
heartily, "and forgive me if your story really sounded so wonderful I
couldn't quite grasp it. Now let me ask you something more. Have you had
any reason for keeping this a secret, other than your fear of confessing
that you violated a few bigoted and idiotic mining rules--which, after
all, are binding only upon sentiment--and which your success has proved
to be utterly impractical?"

"There WAS another reason, Mr. Ford," said Uncle Ben, wiping away an
embarrassed smile with the back of his hand, "that is, to be square with
you, WHY I thought of consultin' you. I didn't keer to have McKinstry,
and"--he added hurriedly, "in course Harrison, too, know that I bought
up the title to thur boundary."

"I understand," nodded the master. "I shouldn't think you would."

"Why shouldn't ye?" asked Uncle Ben quickly.

"Well--I don't suppose you care to quarrel with two passionate men."

Uncle Ben's face changed. Presently, however, with his hand to his face,
he managed to manipulate another smile, only it appeared for the purpose
of being as awkwardly wiped away.

"Say ONE passionate man, Mr. Ford."

"Well, one if you like," returned the master cheerfully. "But for the
matter of that, why any? Come--do you mind telling me why you bought
the land at all? You know it's of little value to any but McKinstry and
Harrison."

"Soppose," said Uncle Ben slowly, with a great affectation of wiping his
ink-spotted desk with his sleeve, "soppose that I had got kinder tired
of seein' McKinstry and Harrison allus fightin' and scrimmagin' over
their boundary line. Soppose I kalkilated that it warn't the sort o'
thing to induce folks to settle here. Soppose I reckoned that by gettin'
the real title in my hands I'd have the deadwood on both o' them, and
settle the thing my own way, eh?"

"That certainly was a very laudable intention," returned Mr. Ford,
observing Uncle Ben curiously, "and from what you said just now about
one passionate man, I suppose you have determined already WHO to favor.
I h