you are borrowing to pay off
accumulated debts, and not to improve property, buy stock or the like.
These things have an important bearing. You may have trouble in getting
money. And I think Braden will try to see that you have."

"What will he have to do with it?"

"Bless your innocence, he knows the loan companies operating here, and
their appraisers. They'll ask him what sort of a borrower you have been
and are apt to be, and why he is calling his loan in, and he'll knock
you as hard as he can. He doesn't want the loan paid off. He wants to
sell you out, and buy the place in. He is still at the old game. He'll
try to work it now by a mortgage sale."

"But that would be a public sale. He'd have to bid against others."

"Nobody in this country has money enough to pay a fair price for the
ranch as a whole. That would practically knock out competition. That's
what he is counting on."

"He hasn't got me yet," said Angus. "It's funny, but old French is
trying to buy out Miss Winton, too." He told the lawyer of French's
offer.

"Then Braden is putting up the money for French," the lawyer deduced. "I
don't understand it any more than you do, but I do know that neither of
these men would knowingly buy anything valueless. So far as your place
is concerned, the value is there. As to the other it doesn't seem to be.
But I think you did right in advising her not to sell."

Angus rode homeward thoughtfully. His thoughts affected his pace, and so
when under ordinary circumstances he would have been home, he was little
more than halfway. Chief suddenly pricked his ears, and Angus became
aware of Kathleen French upon her favorite horse, Finn. She seemed to
have been riding hard, for his coat was wet and his flanks drawn and
working.

"What's the hurry?" he asked. She brushed her loosened hair away from
her forehead.

"He wanted to run and I let him. I'll ride along with you now."

"I suppose you know that your father wouldn't like it?"

"This isn't the Middle Ages," she replied scornfully. "These family
feuds make me tired. I have no quarrel with you."

"I don't want to make trouble for you."

"You won't," she told him. "I can look after myself."

They descended a steep grade, which at the bottom made a sharp turn
opening upon a flat through which ran a little creek. As they made the
turn they came face to face with Blake French, Gerald and Larry. At
sight of Kathleen their faces expressed astonishment. Blake uttere