the old Frenchman, on my
place? He's another. So that's settled. When your two come--of course
you will pay them fair wages--and we'll make sure they're the same
nationality, either Chinese or Italians--well, when they come, John,
with their help, and under Mr. Hale's guidance, will knock together a
small cabin for them to live in. We'll select the spot. Even so, when
your farm is in full swing you'll have to have more outside help. So
keep your eyes open, Billy, while you're gallivanting over the valley."

The next night Billy failed to return, and at nine o'clock a Glen Ellen
boy on horseback delivered a telegram. Billy had sent it from Lake
County. He was after horses for Oakland.

Not until the third night did he arrive home, tired to exhaustion, but
with an ill concealed air of pride.

"Now what have you been doing these three days?" Mrs. Mortimer demanded.

"Usin' my head," he boasted quietly. "Killin' two birds with one stone;
an', take it from me, I killed a whole flock. Huh! I got word of it at
Lawndale, an' I wanta tell you Hazel an' Hattie was some tired when I
stabled 'm at Calistoga an' pulled out on the stage over St. Helena.
I was Johnny-on-the-spot, an' I nailed 'm--eight whoppers--the whole
outfit of a mountain teamster. Young animals, sound as a-dollar, and
the lightest of 'em over fifteen hundred. I shipped 'm last night from
Calistoga. An', well, that ain't all.

"Before that, first day, at Lawndale, I seen the fellow with the teamin'
contract for the pavin'-stone quarry. Sell horses! He wanted to buy 'em.
He wanted to buy 'em bad. He'd even rent 'em, he said."

"And you sent him the eight you bought!" Saxon broke in.

"Guess again. I bought them eight with Oakland money, an' they was
shipped to Oakland. But I got the Lawndale contractor on long distance,
and he agreed to pay me half a dollar a day rent for every work horse up
to half a dozen. Then I telegraphed the Boss, tellin' him to ship me six
sore-footed mares, Bud Strothers to make the choice, an' to charge to my
commission. Bud knows what I 'm after. Soon as they come, off go their
shoes. Two weeks in pasture, an' then they go to Lawndale. They can do
the work. It's a down-hill haul to the railroad on a dirt road. Half a
dollar rent each--that's three dollars a day they'll bring me six days a
week. I don't feed 'em, shoe 'm, or nothin', an' I keep an eye on 'm to
see they're treated right. Three bucks a day, eh! Well, I guess that'll
k