tion could usually borrow
some money on which to raise a crop. Bob's mind again came back to the
Red Butte Ranch. It was so big that it almost swamped his imagination,
but if he was going to do big things he must think big. If he could
possibly sublease that ranch from Benson. But it would take $100,000
to finance a five-thousand-acre cotton crop. Then he thought of Jim
Crill, the old man of the Texas oil fields who was looking for
investments.

It was daring enough to seem almost fantastic, but Bob quickened his
step and turned toward the depot. He could yet catch the morning train
for Los Angeles.

But he passed Benson on the way. The same morning Bob called at the
Los Angeles office Benson went to Reedy Jenkins in Calexico.

The Red Butte lease had three years to run. Benson began by offering
the lease and all the equipment for $40,000. He had spent more than
$90,000 on it.

Reedy pushed back the long black lock of hair from his forehead, shook
his head lugubriously, and grew pessimistically oratorical. Things
were very unsettled over the line: there was talk of increased Mexican
duty on cotton, of a raise in water rates; the price of cotton was
down; ranchers were coming out instead of going in; no sale at all for
leases. He himself had not had an offer for a lease in two months.

They dickered for an hour. Reedy watching with a gloating shrewdness
the impractical fellow who had tried to farm with money. He knew
Benson had lost money on the last crop, and besides had been thoroughly
scared by the sly Madrigal.

"I'm tired of the whole thing." Benson spoke with annoyed vexation.
"I tell you what I'll do: I'll walk off the ranch and leave you the
whole damn thing for $20,000."

"I'll take it." Reedy knew when the limit was reached. "I'll pay you
$2,000 now to bind the bargain; and the balance within ten days."

As Benson left the office with the check, Reedy began figuring
feverishly. It was the biggest thing he had ever pulled off. The
lease, even with cotton selling for only eight cents, was worth
certainly $50,000, the equipment at least $10,000 more. And the five
thousand acres was already planted and coming up! In the Imperial
Valley the planting is by far the most expensive part of the cotton
crop up to picking. It costs from seven to ten dollars an acre to get
it planted; after that it is easy. There are so few weeds and so
little grass that one man, with a little extra help once