a lot of worry," said
Davy, and he hastened back to the house. Presently he rejoined his
companion, who was watching a party of horsemen coming down the lane
back of the stables.

"Looks like a retreat," was Landy's comment. "I don't see eny scalps
a-hangin' on their spears."

"How big is this Bar-O affair, how many acres?" questioned the little
man.

"They don't measure in acres," said Landy, still watching the
approaching party. "Old Jim says hit's about eight sections, four wide
and two deep."

"How big is this judgment? How much money would this receiver and
grazing master have to have to get 'em in the clear? What's the
friction that they can't get these resisting parties to see the
inevitable?"

"Thar's Logan en Finch, with Flinthead en Hickory," exclaimed Landy,
as the horsemen approached the far gate. "She's a water-haul. Old
Hulls has stood 'em off ag'in. Now about yer questions. If ya would
put' em through the chute, one at a time, 'stead of pushin' 'em up in
droves, I could answer better. On the money question, I git this from
old Jim. He gits hit from Joe Craig, en he got hit from Logan, so I
guess hit's right. The original note was three thousand dollars. They
overdrew en added some. The int'rest en costs runs hit to forty-two
hundred. The grass bill is less'n three hundred. The whole biz is near
forty-five hundred."

"Why, a little performing elephant is worth that!" scorned the midget.
"The script of a good vaudeville act would sell for twice as much.
What's the matter with the local moneychangers? What's the whole thing
worth anyhow? Why doesn't some diplomat wheedle old Hulls off? And
why--"

"How much is yer little elephant earnin' now, eatin' his head off in
winter quarters?" interrupted Landy dryly. "Whar would ye show yer
vaudeville act with the show places all closed? Hit's the same here en
all over.

"Ef I was a young man, I'd take a fling at this thing," said Landy
soberly. "She's wuth about ten times the amount asked. Alice has a
leetle money, not that much maybe, en she's purty tight, yit hit might
be done. Old Jim Lough is cautious and reliable, but he's set the
date of the comeback too far off. Cattle is gittin' scarcer every day
and people must eat. I'm too old to mess in, but a youngster could
take over en double his money in five years. In ten years he'd be
asking ten times the price he'd paid. But with the banks closed en
investors in a financial stampede, five thousand dolla