rsonally favor the Lariat Center
route."

Johnny again felt very awkward.

"Can't we put this on some sort of a business basis?" he implored.

"I don't think so," returned Mr. Boise with a cheerful smile. "You
probably couldn't influence me in the least; but that charming young
lady who was with you yesterday afternoon--your sister or something, I
believe, wasn't it--she might."

Johnny stiffened.

"Then we don't want it," he quietly decided, and took his hat.

"That's the stuff!" yelled Boise in delight. "You belong out West!
Well, Johnny, I'm afraid you'll have to have it as a matter of
sentiment, and partly on the charming young lady's account, whether you
like it or not. Now what have you to say about it, you young bantam?"

"Much obliged," laughed Johnny, recovering from his huff in a hurry. "I
thank you for both of us."

"Don't mention it," replied Boise easily, and chuckling in a way that
did him good. "Give my very warmest regards to the young lady in
question."

"Would you care to come down-stairs and give them to her yourself?"
invited Johnny, a trifle ashamed that he had resented the quite
evidently sincere admiration of Boise for both Constance and himself.

"So early in the morning?" laughed Boise, putting on his sombrero with
alacrity. "It must be serious," and, clapping Johnny heartily on the
shoulder with a hand which in its lightest touch came down with the
force of a mallet, he led the way to the elevator.

At the curb Mr. Boise, who was also confronting a busy day, delighted
both the girls and Johnny by the sort of well-wishes that a real man
can make people believe, and when they drove away Constance was
blushing and Polly was actually threatening to adopt him.

The next stop was at Collaton's, where Johnny bought from that
nonchalantly pleased young man his interest in the Gamble-Collaton
Irrigation Company for five thousand dollars, A check for which amount
he borrowed from Polly while Collaton was signing the transfer.

Next he went to the offices of the Western Developing Company, and the
president of that extensive concern waved him away with both hands.

"If you've come about that Sancho Hills Basin land of yours, talk to me
about it in a theater lobby sometime," Washburn warned Johnny in
advance. "We discuss nothing but real business up here."

"I'll bet you five thousand acres of the land that this is real
business," Johnny offered. "The S. W. & P. has just secured control o