ranches on that side of the Okanagan Lake.

Jim winked to Phil.

"Would the bank lend you forty thousand dollars on it?" asked Phil.

"Sure!" braved the Mayor. "They'd be tickled to death to do it."

Phil got up.

"I guess you'd better make friends with them and get their loan. We
haven't any desire for the name of Graham Brenchfield on our
books;--it wouldn't look good."

The Mayor jumped up, his face livid.

"What's that?" he cried. "You--you would say that to me who could
squeeze you like this----"

"No good! You tried hard to do it several times, but it wouldn't
work."

"Haven't you got a say in this, Langford?"

"Yes!--and my say's the same as Phil's."

"By God! I'll fix both of you good and plenty before I'm through.
You--you pair of Real Estate sharks!"

Jim pounced on him and pinned him against the door before he could say
another word. Brenchfield was impotent.

"Another word o' that, and I'll bang your heid through the panel,"
exclaimed Jim, rising as usual in his anger to his beloved native
tongue.

Brenchfield quieted down, lamblike, and Jim released him.

He spoke to Jim and pointed his finger at Phil.

"You wouldn't feel so mighty bad about what I say, if you knew you had
a ticket-of-leave jailbird for a partner."

"Yes, you dirty, black-mailing thief!" answered Jim. "I know--and if
you open your trap here or anywhere else, I'll put you where you
belong, whether Phil agrees to it or not,--see!

"You're broke, Brenchfield. The bank has got you, and got you good.
They'll show you what squeezing is; damn you for what you are!

"Here's your hat! Get out! And, by Heck!--as I open the door for
you,--smile; for heaven's sake, smile, and delude the staff that we've
had a nice, genial, conversational love-feast."

But Mayor Brenchfield's jaunty air had departed. He tried hard to
appear unconcerned as he hurried away, but the smile was frozen at the
tap and refused to turn on.

"Things are getting lively," remarked Jim. "Here are some more!"

The outer office was filled with inquirers.

All morning Phil and Jim were kept busy turning prospective money
buyers down.

The news of the banks' new attitude regarding the advancing of money
on the security of realty had spread quickly. Property values flopped
like a house of cards and interest rates soared sky-high.

At the end of the week, Eileen's father telegraphed his acceptance of
the offers made for his property the previous Monday. Bu