there was no doubt he had suffered from the depredations of Mexico's casual
visitors, and was ready to protect not only his own interests but those of
any newcomers. He seemed to have the spirit of fair-mindedness; and he
believed firmly in the possibilities of this magic land, particularly for
young men. "It's God's country," he told Gilbert on more than one occasion.
"Get into the soil all you can. Dig--and dig deep."

He said this over and over. It ran like a refrain through every
conversation he had with anyone. He preached the gospel of labor. And he
did work himself; there was no shadow of doubt as to that. He had struck
oil himself, and had made a goodly extra pile. Now, unknown to young Jones,
he was casting envious eyes on his ranch; and when the war came and Gilbert
went overseas in a burst of fine patriotism, and later came other
disasters, he was quick to snatch his opportunity.

Why go to Bisbee, he told Jones, to see who would take up his mortgage?
What were neighbors for, if not to come in handy in such unpleasant
emergencies? And he laughed.

The long and short of it was that Hardy took an option on Gilbert's
property, and held it at this very moment. It was better so, thought
Gilbert. Better to be foreclosed by a friendly neighbor, who might hesitate
to drive one out at the last moment, than under the thumb of some unknown
individual way down the valley.

Four years of it--and he had come to this! Well, he'd take his medicine
like a man. He had done his best, and no one could do more.