dden along the edge of
it, and the still, clear air was filled with a clash and clatter and
the rustle of flung-out sheaves.

There was no doubt that money could be raised upon that harvest field.
Indeed, Hawtrey fancied that his companion would be quite content to
take a bond for the delivery of so many thousand bushels in repayment
of the loan, but while he had already gone further than he had at one
time contemplated doing, this was a course he shrank from suggesting.
After all, the grain was Wyllard's, and there was the difficulty that
Wyllard might still come back, while if he failed to do this an absence
of another few months would entitle his executors to presume him dead.
In either case, Hawtrey would be required to account for his property.

"No," he said, "I can't take--that way."

There was a trace of contempt in the mortgage jobber's smile. "You of
course understand just how you're fixed, but it seemed to me from that
draft of the arrangement with Wyllard that you have the power to do
pretty much what you like. Anyway, if you gave me a bond on as much of
that grain as would wipe out the loan at present figure, it would only
mean that you would have Wyllard's trustees for creditors instead of
me, and it's probable that they wouldn't be as hard upon you as I'm
compelled to be. As things stand, you have got to square up or I throw
your place on the market."

Hawtrey's face betrayed his dismay, and his companion fancied that he
would yield to a little further pressure. He had not said anything
about the mortgage to Sally, and it would be singularly unpleasant to
be turned out upon the prairie within a month or two of his marriage,
for he could not count upon being left in possession of the Range much
longer.

"I'm only entitled to handle Wyllard's money on--his--account," he
objected.

Edmonds appeared to reflect. "So far as I can remember there was
nothing of that kind stated in the draft of the arrangement. It
empowered you to do anything you thought fit with the money, but it's
altogether your own affair. I can, of course, get my dollars back by
selling your homestead up, and I have to decide if that must be done or
not before I leave."

He had very little doubt as to what the decision would be. Hawtrey
would yield, and afterwards it would not be difficult to draw him into
some unwise speculation with the object of getting the money back,
which he imagined that Hawtrey would be desperately an