y?"

"The reasons are numerous and valid," replied the older cowman. "It's
the natural outgrowth or expansion of the pastoral interests of our
State. Before the opening of the trail, for years and years, Texas
clamored for an outlet for its cattle. Our water supply was limited, the
State is subject to severe drouth, the cattle were congesting on our
ranges, with neither market inquiry or demand. The subjection of the
Indian was followed by a sudden development of the West, the Texas and
Montana cattle trail opened, and the pastoral resources of our State
surprised the world. Last year we sent eight hundred thousand cattle
over the trail, and they were not missed at home. That's the reason I'm
your guest to-night; range has suddenly become valuable in Texas."

"There is also an economic reason for the present exodus of cattle,"
added the young man. "Our State is a natural breeding ground, but we
can't mature into marketable beef. Nearly twenty years' experience has
proven that a northern climate is necessary to fatten and bring our
Texas cattle to perfect maturity. Two winters in the North will insure a
gain of from three to four hundred pounds' extra weight more per head
than if allowed to reach maturity on their native heath. This gain
fully doubles the value of every hoof, and is a further motive why we
are your guests to-night; we are looking for a northern range on which
to mature our steer cattle."

The boys were grasping the fact that in their range they had an asset of
value. Less than two months before, they were on the point of abandoning
their home as worthless, not capable of sustaining life, the stone which
the builders rejected, and now it promised a firm foundation to their
future hopes. The threatened encroachment of a few weeks previous, and
the causes of demand, as explained by their guests, threw a new light on
range values and made the boys doubly cautious. Was there a possible
tide in the primitive range, which taken at its flood would lead these
waifs to fortune?

The next morning the guests insisted on looking over the upper valley of
the Beaver.

"In the first place," said the elder Texan, "let it be understood that
we respect your rights to this range. If we can reach some mutual
agreement, by purchase or rental, good enough, but not by any form of
intrusion. We might pool our interests for a period of years, and the
rental would give you lads a good schooling. There are many advantages
tha