The Iron Furrow | Page 8

farm of eighty acres in Nebraska that I'll trade you for it.
I could offer you less, but I won't; you have an equity here of value,
and I'm not the kind of man to beat you down to nothing. If we deal,
you shall have something in return for your interest. This eighty of
mine is worth a hundred dollars an acre--eight thousand; it's mortgaged
for five thousand, which leaves an equity of three thousand; on it are
good buildings and it's rented until next March. You could then take
possession. It's a good farm, and with the money you'll have from the
sale of your sheep you can make a good start on the place, which is in
the corn and wheat section. My equity of three thousand isn't worth, to
be sure, anything like what you paid Menocal for this ranch, but it's
something--and all that I can afford to give."

The rancher stared at Lee as if he could not credit his ears.
"Are you in earnest?" he demanded, at last. "Why I've just told you
there's no water here. A man can't make a living on the place, and the
mortgage is due next week."
"I'll pay off the mortgage; I've enough money saved up to do that."
"But, man, without water----"
"Listen, Stevenson, I know exactly what I'm about," the engineer
interrupted. "This thing's a gamble with me, I admit, but you needn't do
any worrying on that score. I'm going in with my eyes open; I know the
risks and am willing to take them. What about my offer?"
Stevenson, still gazing at his visitor in wonderment, was at a loss; he
rubbed his knuckles doubtfully, hitched about on his chair and knit his
brows, perplexed, hesitating, as was his manner when presented with
any new affair, even with one palpably to his advantage. It was clear
that in this lack of quick decision lay much of the reason for his failure.
His wife exclaimed in appeal, "Oh, John, if Mr. Bryant really means it,
why don't you say yes? I can't understand why he makes us such a fine
offer, but he is making it. We can start again; we'll be back in a farming
country like what we're used to, even if it isn't in Illinois; we'll have a
farm of our own, a home of our own, and will not have to rent. Oh, why
don't you say yes?"
The rancher looked from his wife to Bryant and back again, pursing his
lips.
"But I don't understand this," he said.
"You heard what he explained," she replied, anxiously. "He expects to
pay off the mortgage and be rid of Mr. Menocal. Perhaps he knows the
sheep business better than you do; you never did learn it well, John,
and you ought never to have stopped farming. You were a good farmer;
you will be again. We can go on this place in Nebraska and raise corn

and wheat and hogs, and I'll have chickens to help clear the debt. Why,
it's a chance for us to be independent again, and have a home, and
neighbours, and attend church, and--and be happy, John!"
"That's so," her husband agreed.
"We are going to leave here anyway," she continued to urge. "We
wouldn't have had anything but the money from the sheep, but now
you'll be getting a farm, too. I'd think you'd jump at Mr. Bryant's offer."
"But maybe, after all, the ranch is worth more than I thought,"
Stevenson speculated.
His wife sank back in her seat, picked up her sewing, and tried to
resume her task, but her fingers trembled and her lashes were winking
fast. Lee gazed at her sympathetically. Then he lifted his hat from the
floor and stood up.
"Well, there are other places I can trade for," he remarked. "I thought I
was doing you a good turn in proposing the exchange, especially as
you're about to lose your place. I wouldn't be beating you out of
anything, certainly, and as your wife says, you'd really be getting
something for nothing. The mortgage is due next week, you must
remember."
Stevenson's mind, however, was running in another channel.
"I'll tell you how we can deal," he said, with an assumption of
shrewdness. "You pay me the five thousand you plan to pay off the
mortgage with, and get Menocal to renew the loan. Five thousand--why,
my equity is worth more than that! Besides, you've some scheme for
making money out of this ranch."
"What if I have?"
"That makes a difference when it comes to a deal."
"Not with me," the engineer stated, curtly. "If that's your attitude, we'll

drop the matter. Probably you yourself can arrange an extension of the
mortgage or a renewal, if you're minded to