me now. I----" He came to an abrupt stop. "Oh, well, laugh
away," he added. "I'll tell you what I thought. I thought you were
going to marry Dunne."

Sheila's laughter closed suddenly. "You haven't the least right to
think that or say it," she said coldly. "It's strange if I can't help a
friend choose a few house furnishings without impertinent comment."

"Oh, come!" said Farwell. "I didn't mean to be impertinent, Miss
McCrae. I know I'm too outspoken. I'm always putting my foot in it."

"Very well," said Sheila. "I think you said you wanted to speak to me
of my future?"

"Yes. I spoke to your father about selling the ranch. He refused
point-blank. What can we do about it?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "'We?' If he told you he won't sell, he
won't. I didn't know you had spoken to him."

"Couldn't you persuade him?"

"I wouldn't try. I don't want Talapus sold. What right have you to hold
us up? That's what it amounts to."

"There's a woman for you!" cried Farwell to the world at large. "Hold
you up? Great Scott, that's just what I'm not doing! I offered him the
value he put on the ranch himself, not a holdup price. I mean I offered
to get it for him. I want you to put it up to him, and get your mother
to help you. You ought to have some say in this. He ought to think of
you a little."

"It's his ranch," Sheila returned loyally. "He knows what he's doing.
When a man has made up his mind, women shouldn't make things harder for
him by whining."

"That's right enough, too," said Farwell, whose masculinity was in
thorough accord with the last sentiment. "But he is just the same as
throwing away a hundred thousand dollars. I don't want to see it. I
know what he's up against. I want him to get out while he can break
even."

"What about the rest of the ranchers?"

"I don't care a hang for the rest of the ranchers."

"And why do you make a distinction in our favour?"

Farwell was not prepared with an answer, even to himself. Her bluntness
was disconcerting. "I don't know," he replied. "It doesn't matter. The
main thing is to make your father get out of the way of the tree, for
it's going to fall right where he's standing. He can't dodge once it
starts. And what hits him hits you."

"Then I won't dodge, either," she declared bravely. "He's right not to
sell. I wouldn't if I were in his place."

Farwell slid back in his chair and bit his cigar savagely.

"I never saw such a family!" he exclaimed. "You've got