throat.

"Mr. MacDougall," he said slowly, "this offer makes me proud. That you
should have so much confidence in me as to wish to make me your partner is
most gratifying. I am sorry that I must refuse. I have other plans.{~HORIZONTAL ELLIPSIS~}"

MacDougall nodded, interrupting. This was evidently a contingency he had
calculated.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Delcasar. I had hoped to be permanently associated with
you in this venture. But I think I understand. You are young. Perhaps
marriage, a home are your immediate objects, and you need cash at once,
rather than a somewhat distant prospect of greater wealth. In that case I
think I can meet your wishes. I am prepared to make you a good offer for
all of your holdings in the valley, and those immediately adjoining it.
The exact amount I cannot state at this moment, but I feel sure we could
agree as to price."

Ramon was taken aback by the promptness of the counter, confused, forced
to think. Money was a thing he wanted badly. He had little cash. If
MacDougall would give him fifty thousand, he could go with Julia anywhere.
He would be free. But again the inward prompting, sure and imperative,
said no. He wanted the girl above all things. But he wanted land, too. His
was the large and confident greed of youth. And he could have the girl
without making this concession. MacDougall wanted to take the best of his
land and push him out of the game as a weakling, a negligible. He wouldn't
submit. He would fight, and in his own way. What he wanted now was to end
the interview, to get away from this battering, formidable opponent. He
rose.

"I will think it over, Mr. MacDougall," he said. "And meantime, if you
will send me an offer in writing, I will appreciate it."

Some of the affability faded from MacDougall's face as he too rose, and
the worried look in his little grey eyes intensified, as though he sensed
the fact that this was an evasion. None-the-less he said good-bye
cordially and promised to write the letter.

Ramon went back to his office, his mind stimulated, working intensely.
Never before had he thought so clearly and purposefully. He got out an old
government map of Arriba County, and with the aid of the deeds in the safe
which contained all his uncle's important papers, he managed to mark off
his holdings. The whole situation became as clear to him as a checker
game. He owned a bit of land in the valley which ran all the way across
it, and far out upon the _mesa_ in a