e your father's grave.
Won't you? You promised to." Sandy liked the lad for that. But it did
not ameliorate his attitude toward the visit of Keith Senior.

That worthy arrived after lunch had been cleared the next day. Kate
Nicholson busied herself to wait deferentially upon him and his
secretary, the fox-faced Blake. Keith was brisk and brusk, breathing
prosperity.

"I was detained in Hereford, Bourke," he said. "I haven't much time for
anything but a flying visit. I promised Mrs. Keith I'd come over the
first opportunity, and I wanted to see you. Donald's out with Molly, you
say. I'll leave him with you on your invitation and pick him up when we
go back east. That will be in about a week. Sooner than I expected. I'd
like to spare a day to look over the ranch. I've heard fine things about
it."

"Thanks," drawled Sandy laconically. "Glad to have a talk with you. Sam,
Mr. Blake might like to see the hawsses gentled that came up this
mo'nin'."

Keith raised his eyebrows but said nothing. Leaving Blake, Sandy led
Keith to his office, rolled a cigarette, offered a chair to his visitor
and smoked, waiting for the latter to open the talk.

"There are some papers for you to examine, as Molly's guardian," said
Keith. "But Blake has them."

"We'll take them up later. Anythin' else?"

Keith looked sharply at Sandy's face. There was a certain grimness to it
that reminded the promoter of the first time he had seen it. His own
changed to a mask, expressionless, save for his eyes, holding suspicion
that changed to aggressiveness. But the latter did not show in his voice
which was smooth and ingratiating.

"Nothing of great importance. I hear Westlake has been over here,
Bourke. We had a misunderstanding. Sorry to lose him, since you
recommended him."

"He figgers he has a better job," answered Sandy.

"I'm glad he thinks so. He is young and lacks experience. His opinion
clashed with that of my engineer-in-charge, an expert of high standing.
Westlake was hot-headed and would not brook being overruled. There is no
doubt but that he was mistaken. He is a valuable man, under a superior,
but he is intolerant."

"He didn't strike me that way," said Sandy. "Me, I set a good deal on
his opinion."

"I didn't imagine you knew much about mining, Bourke." Keith looked at
his watch. "I'll really have to be going as soon as you have looked over
those papers. Hadn't we better call Blake?"

Sandy looked out of the window. He saw Mi