. Cleaned him empty one
night at cards--stood him up for his last cent, and he kind o' took a
notion to me. Well, he's the son of a duke or an earl, or some such
thing, and not long ago the Governor goes and dies on him, leaving
him a few castles and bric-a-brac like that and some wagon-loads of
money. So he had to go home for the time being, and as he wanted
someone to run his ranch, who should he think of but me. Suppose he
thought if I happened to bet it at poker some night I wouldn't lose
it, and that's some consideration. He's got a thousand acres or so of
land up there, with a dozen cayuses on it, and he gives me
twenty-five pounds a month, with board and lodging and open credit at
the Trading Company, to see that it doesn't walk away in his absence.
Besides that, I hire a man to do the work, and charge his wages up in
the expenses. Got a good man, too--one of those fellows who don't
know any better than work for a living. By the way, perhaps you know
him--comes from Plainville part--Travers his name is?"

"Sure," said Riles. "He worked for Harris, until they had a row and
he lit out. It kind o' balled Harris up, too, although he'd never
admit it. If he'd Travers there it'd be easier for him t' get away
now."

"Where's Harris going?"

"He ain't goin'; he's comin'. Comin' out here in a few days after me.
I'm his kind o' advance guard, spyin' out the land."

"You don't say? Well, see and make him come through with the
expenses. If I was travelling for Jack Harris I wouldn't be sleeping
in a hen-coop like this. He's worth yards of money, ain't he?"

"Oh, some, I guess, but perhaps not so much more'n his neighbours."

"Nothing personal, Riles. You've got to get over that narrowness if
you're going to get into the bigger game I've been telling you about.
I don't care how much you're worth--how much is Harris bringing with
him?"

"Couple of hundred dollars, likely."

"I wouldn't show my hand for that. How much can he raise?"

"Well, supposin' he sold the old farm--"

"Now don't do any reckless supposing. Will he sell the farm?"

"Sure, he'll sell it if he sees something better."

"How much can he get for it?"

"Thirty or forty thousand dollars."

"That's more like a stake. Hiram, it's up to you and me to show him
something better--and to show it to him when he's alone...You're
tired to-night. Sleep it out, and we'll drive over to the ranch
to-morrow together. We ought to pick something better than a
h