It might have been intuition. He knew
Lablache well. He laughed cynically.

"That's more like you," he said roughly.

"One moment," said the money-lender; the smile vanished from his lips.
"Fair play's good medicine. We'll wipe out your debts if you'll tell
your niece that you want her to marry me."

"I'll--I'll--"

"Hold on, John," with upraised hand, as the old man purpled with rage
and started to shout.

"I'll see you damned first!" The rancher had lurched on to his feet and
his fist came down with a crash upon the corner of the table. Lablache
remained unmoved.

"Tut tut, man; now listen to me." The old man towered unsteadily over
him. "I can't understand your antipathy to me as a husband for your
niece. Give your consent--she'll do it for you--and, on my wedding day,
I burn those mortgages and I'll settle 100,000 dollars upon Jacky.
Besides this I'll put 200,000 dollars into your ranch to develop it, and
only ask ten per cent, of the profits. Can I speak fairer? That girl of
yours is a good girl, John; too good to kick about the prairie. I'll
make her a good husband. She shall do as she pleases, live where she
likes. You can always be with us if you choose. It's no use being riled,
John, I'm making an honest proposition."

The rancher calmed. In the face of such a generous proposal he could not
insult Lablache. He was determined, however. It was strange, perhaps,
that any suggestion for his influence to be used in his niece's choice
of a husband should have such a violent effect upon him. But "Poker"
John was a curious mixture of weakness and honor. He loved his niece
with a doting affection. She was the apple of his eye. To him the
thought of personal benefit at the cost of her happiness was a
sacrilege. Lablache understood this. He knew that on this point the
rancher's feelings amounted to little short of mania. And yet he
persisted. John's nature was purely obstinate, and obstinacy is
weakness. The money-lender knew that obstinacy could be broken down by
steady determination. However, time, with him, was now everything. He
must clinch the deal with as little delay as possible if he would escape
from Foss River and the ruinous attacks of Retief. This thought was ever
present with him and urged him to press the old man hard. If John
Allandale would not be reasonable, he, Lablache, must force an
acceptance of his terms from him.

The rancher was mollified. His dulled brain suddenly saw a loop-hole of
esc