nt time, and Hawtrey was
anxious to get rid of him before the arrival of the guests that he
expected. It was Sally's birthday, and, since she took pleasure in
simple festivities of any kind, he had arranged to celebrate it at the
Range. He was, however, sufficiently acquainted with the money-lender's
character to realize that it was most unlikely that he would take his
departure before he had accomplished the purpose which had brought him
there. This was to collect several thousand dollars.

It was quite clear to Hawtrey that he was in an unpleasantly tight
place. Edmonds held a bond upon his homestead, teams and implements as
security for a short date loan, repayment of which was due, and he was
to be married to Sally in a month or so.

"Can't you wait a little?" he asked at length.

"I'm afraid not," was the uncompromising reply. "Money's tight this
fall, and things have gone against me. Besides, you could pay me off if
you wanted to."

Edmonds turned toward an open window, and glanced at the great stretch
of yellow grain that ran back across the prairie. Dusty teams and
binders with flashing wooden arms moved half-hidden along the edge of
the vast field, and the still, clear air was filled with a clash and
clatter and the rustle of flung-out sheaves.

There was no doubt that money could be raised upon that harvest field.
Indeed, Hawtrey fancied that his companion would be quite content to
take a bond for the delivery of so many thousand bushels in repayment of
the loan, but while he had already gone further than he had at one time
contemplated doing, this was a course he shrank from suggesting. After
all, the grain was Wyllard's, and there was the difficulty that Wyllard
might still come back. If Wyllard failed to return, an absence of
another few months would entitle his executors to consider him dead. In
either case, Hawtrey would be required to account for his property.

"No," he decided, "I can't take--that way."

There was a trace of contempt in the mortgage-jobber's smile. "You of
course understand just how you're fixed, but it seemed to me from that
draft of the arrangement with Wyllard that you have the power to do
pretty much what you like. Anyway, if you gave me a bond on as much of
that grain as would wipe out the loan at the present figure, it would
only mean that you would have Wyllard's trustees for creditors instead
of me, and it's probable that they wouldn't be as hard upon you as I'm
compelle