ination to whistle. Fifty
thousand--why, he didn't know Number Ten ranch was worth that much
money. But it must be worth a good deal more if his grandfather had
advanced so much on it.

"It is a nice little pile," he admitted carelessly.

The old man grunted, thrust his hands into his pockets, and drew deeply
at his stogie. Steve rolled a cigarette. In the silence falling upon
them they could hear the sound of the mechanician's wrench.

"Anything wrong with the car?" asked Steve for the sake of breaking
unpleasant silence.

"Not that I know of. He's jus' takin' a peek to make sure, I guess.
That's what he's for. He knows I got to get back to my place in a
couple of shakes."

Steve smiled; by wagon road his grandfather's ranch home was fifty
miles to the northward.

"You won't think of going back before noon."

"Won't I? But I will, though, son; Blenham's sticking aroun', waitin'
for my say-so what he'll do nex'." He snapped open a big watch and
stared at it a moment with pursed lips. "I'll be back home in jus' one
hour an' a half. All I got is fifteen minutes to talk with you this
mornin'."

"You mean that you can drive those fifty miles in an hour and a
quarter!"

"Have done it in less; if I was in a hurry I'd do it in an hour flat.
But allowin' for time out I want fifteen minutes more'n that. And now,
if we're goin' to get anywhere----"

He stopped suddenly and stood toying with his big watch passing it back
and forth through the loop he made of its heavy chain, his gaze steady
and earnest and searching upon his grandson.

"Stephen," he said abruptly, "I ain't playin' any favorites in my ol'
age. An' I ain't givin' away big chunks of money hit or miss. You
wasn't countin' on anything like that, was you?"

"No, I wasn't," announced Steve quickly. "I remember your old theory;
that a man should make his own way unaided, that----"

"That whatever he got he's got to get with his one head an' one set of
han's. Now, the things I got to say I'll spit out one at the time:
Firs', I'd like to have you come visit me for a spell at my place.
Will you do it? To-day, to-morrow, any time you feel like it."

"Yes; I'll be glad to."

"That's good. Nex', not even if you was the right man for the job you
can't save this ranch now; it's too late, there's to much to dig up in
too short a time. I've got my hooks in deep an' whenever that happens
I don't let go. I want you to quit before you get started