had forced his way
in, defying the clerks specially instructed to intercept him. Leslie
had first set up in business as a land agent, a calling which affords a
promising field for talents of his particular description, and having
taken the new arrival's money, had, by a little manipulation of the
survey lines, transferred to him mostly barren rock and giant trees
instead of land for hop culture. It was a game which had been often
played before, but the particular rancher was a determined man and had
announced his firm intention of obtaining his money back or wreaking
summary vengeance on his betrayer.

"Danged if thee hadn't more hiding holes than a rotten, but I've hunted
thee from one to one, and now I've found thee I want my brass," shouted
the brawny, loud-voiced Briton. Leslie answered truthfully:

"I tell you I haven't got it, even if you had any claim on me, and it's
not my fault you're disappointed, if you foolishly bought land before
you could understand a Canadian survey plan."

"Then thou'lt better get it," was the uncompromising answer.
"Understand a plan! I've stuck to the marked one I got from thee, and
there's lawyers in this country as can. It was good soil and maples I
went up to see, and how the ---- can anybody raise crops off the big
stones thou sold me? I'm going to have my rights, and, meantime, I'm
trapesing round all the bars in this city talking about thee. There's
a good many already as believe me."

"Then you had better look out. Confound you!" threatened Leslie,
taking a bold course in desperation. "There's a law which can stop
that game in this country, and I'll set it in motion. Anyway, I can't
have you making this noise in my private office. Go away before I call
my clerks to throw you out."

The effort at intimidation was a distinct failure, for the aggrieved
agriculturalist, who was not quite sober, laughed uproariously as he
seized a heavy ruler. "That's a good yan," he roared. "Thou darsen't
for thy life go near a court with me, and the first clerk who tries to
put me out, danged if I don't pound half the life out of him and thee.
I'm stayin' here comf'able until I get my money."

He pulled out a filthy pipe, and filled it with what, when he struck a
match, turned out to be particularly vile tobacco, and Leslie, who
fumed in his chair, said presently:

"You are only wasting your time and mine--and for heaven's sake take a
cigar and fling that pipe away. I haven't