ails? Maybe I could find somebody to take over. And anyhow, don't
you worry about expense money. Mrs. Gillis has enough cash-on-hand to
take care of all of us, unless this panic grows into a financial
cyclone."

"Mister Potter, out at the stables, knows most of the details. Mister
Finch and a deputy sheriff were here this morning, talking it over
with him. As I understand it, Mister Logan, the bank receiver, bought
the land at the sale, but it seems that a bank receiver can't hold the
land, he must sell it to make cash assets. Mister Logan has the bank's
affairs in good shape, except for this item, and it's got him badly
worried. Just now, he thinks it would have been better to have sold
the note and mortgage to someone and let the buyer take the grief of
getting possession. Anyhow, talk to Mister Potter, he has the answers
to most of your questions. See him, by all means," urged Adine Lough
as Davy prepared to join the impatient Landy standing at the door.

11

"We've got a lot of work cut out for us," said Davy as he and Landy
walked down the drive to the stables. "I want to talk to Potter, but I
don't want to show too much interest. I want to get some information
about this Barrow resistance that's got 'em all stirred up. How big is
this Bar-O ranch anyhow? How much money does this receiver gent need
to have to get in the clear? How much is owed on the grazing
allotment? And how come that a sheriff's posse can't depose one old
man?"

"Old Jim and I were jist talkin' about this same thing," said Landy as
they paused at the yard gate.

"Does Mr. Lough know about it?" exclaimed the astonished midget.
"Adine didn't want him to know! Who tipped it off to him?"

Landy chuckled as he fingered the gate latch. "Old Jim's been 'round a
right smart time, en he don't confer with young women on business
matters. He read the leetle fine print legal ad in the papers en he
sent his handyman, Joe Craig, to Logan, the receiver gent, en got all
the details."

"Does he want the ranch?" questioned Davy.

"Naw!" scorned Landy. "Old Jim says hit will be eight years before the
ranchin' business can git back on hits feet, en by that time he'll be
moulderin' dust en dry bones. Old Jim's still harpin' on that funeral
business. Now he plans to hold a big barbecue en send out invitations.
Jim's got the money all right, but he wants to spend hit on a big,
spread-eagle funeral."

"Adine should know about this. It will save her