"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