in
going to sit down and write that little daughter a long letter all about
the grand news. She'll be proud of her dad's good luck! She's only eight
years old, but she's a great little reader, and she writes me letters
longer than my own."

"If you'll wait a minute, Mr. Griggs," proposed Tom, "we'll be able to
give you a ride into town. The general manager gave me authority to rent
and use an automobile after this. It's out there waiting now."

The new foreman gratefully accepted the invitation. Within five minutes
the chauffeur had stopped the car in Paloma and Tim Griggs got out to go
to his new boarding place in the town.

"God bless you, Mr. Reade!" he said huskily, holding out his band.
"You've done a lot for me--and my little girl!"

"No more than you've done for me," smiled Tom. "Anyway, you haven't
received more than you deserve, and you never will in this little old
world of ours."

"I don't know about that," replied the new foreman, a sudden flush
rising to his weather-beaten face. "It all seems too good to be true."

"You'll find it to be true enough when you draw your next pay, Griggs,"
laughed Tom. "Then you'll realize that you aren't dreaming. In the
meantime your dinner is getting cold at your boarding place. Don't let
your new job spoil your appetite."

When Tom and Harry rode into town at noon the following day they beheld
a scene of great activity at the site of the destroyed Cactus House. All
the blackened debris had been carted away during the morning by a
large force of men. Now, derricks lay in place, to be erected in
the afternoon. A steam shovel had been all but installed and a large
stationary engine rested on nearly completed foundations.

George Ashby, proprietor of the Mansion House, who had dared, during the
last two days, to show himself a little more openly on the streets of
Paloma, halted just as Tom and Harry stepped out of the automobile to
look over the scene of Foreman Griggs's morning labors.

"Looks as if the Cactus House might be rebuilt," remarked Ashby, burning
with curiosity.

"No," said Tom briefly.

"Carter is going to change the name?" inquired Ashby.

"No. Carter doesn't own this land any more."

"He doesn't own the land?" Ashby asked. "What's going to be put up here,
then? A business block?"

For a moment Ashby thrilled with joy. Of late the Cactus House had
seriously cut in on the profits of the Mansion House. Ashby had,
in fact, been running behind. Now