t was worth for an inferior article that hampered some of the most
important industries in the country, and they piled up the dollars in the
old-time way."

"Und," said Muller, "dot is democratic America!"

"Yes," said Grant. "That is the America we mean to alter. Well, where one
man feeds his cattle, fifty could plough and make a living raising stock
on a smaller scale, and the time's quite close upon us when they will; but
the cattle-men have got the country, and it will hurt them to let go. It's
not their land, and was only lent them. Now I'm no fonder of trouble than
any other man, but this country fed and taught me, and kept me two years
in Europe looking round, and I'd feel mean if I took everything and gave
it nothing back. Muller will understand me. Do you, Breckenridge?"

The English lad laughed. "Oh, yes; though I don't know that any similar
obligation was laid on myself. The country I came from had apparently no
use for a younger son at all, and it was kicks and snubs it usually
bestowed on me; but if there's a row on hand I'm quite willing to stand by
you and see it through. My folks will, however, be mildly astonished when
they hear I've turned reformer."

Grant nodded good-humouredly, for he was not a fanatic, but an American
with a firm belief in the greatness of his country's destiny, who,
however, realized that faith alone was scarcely sufficient.

"Well," he said, "if it's trouble you're anxious for, it's quite likely
you'll find it here. Nobody ever got anything worth having unless he
fought for it, and we've taken on a tolerably big contract. We're going to
open up this state for any man who will work for it to make a living in,
and substitute its constitution for the law of the cattle-barons."

"Der progress," said Muller, "she is irresistible."

Breckenridge laughed. "From what I was taught, it seems to me that she
moves round in rings. You start with the luxury of the few, oppression,
and brutality, then comes revolution, and worse things than you had
before, progress growing out of it that lasts for a few generations until
the few fittest get more than their fair share of wealth and control, and
you come back to the same point again."

Muller shook his head. "No," he said, "it is nod der ring, but der elastic
spiral. Der progress she march, it is true, round und round, but she is
arrive always der one turn higher, und der pressure on der volute is nod
constant."

"On the top?" said Breck