"I had nothing to come for."

It pleased Mr. Wentz to regard her with a smile of tolerant amus.e.m.e.nt.

"Don't know anything about finance, do you?"

"I've never had any business to attend to. I will learn, though."

Wentz smiled enigmatically. Then, brusquely:

"We might as well come to the point and have it over--do you know them sheep's mortgaged?"

"I knew," hesitatingly, "that Uncle Joe had borrowed for our expenses, but I didn't know how he did it."

"That's how he did it," curtly. "And the mortgage includes the leases and the whole bloomin' outfit."

"But he only borrowed a few hundred," she ventured.

"We require ample security," importantly.

"What is it you want of me?" Kate's voice trembled slightly. The import of the interview was beginning to dawn upon her.

Wentz cleared his throat and announced impressively:

"There was a meeting of the directors called yesterday and it was decided that the bank must have its money."

She cried aghast:

"I haven't it, Mr. Wentz!"

"Then there's only one alternative."

"You mean ship the sheep?"

Wentz stroked his mustache.

"That's about the size of it."

"But sheep are way down," she protested. "It would take almost the two bands at present to pay off the debt and shipping expenses."

"That's not our funeral."

"And the leases are of no value without stock for them."

Mr. Wentz lowered his silken lashes and suggested smoothly as he continued to caress the treasured growth gently:

"Neifkins might be induced to take the leases off your hands at a nominal figure."

Mr. Pantin cooling his heels at the outer portals smiled. He knew what Kate did not--that Neifkins was one of the directors.

"But the notes are not due until early next summer--after shearing.

Uncle Joe told me so."

"True," he a.s.sented. Then with a large air of erudition: "The law, however, provides for such cases as this. When the security of the mortgager is in jeopardy through incompetence or other causes he can foreclose immediately."

Kate paled as she listened.

"But there's no danger, Mr. Wentz," she protested breathlessly. "Your money's as safe as when Uncle Joe was living. I understand sheep--he said I was a better sheepman than he was because I had more patience and like them. I'll watch them closer than ever--day or night I'll never leave them. I'll promise you! I've got a good herder now and between us we can handle them."

Mr. Wentz shrugged a skeptical shoulder.

"You couldn't convince the directors of that. There's none of 'em wants to risk the bank's money with a woman in that kind of business."

"But can't you see," she pleaded, "that it's ruin to ship now? It will wipe me out completely. Put some one out there of your own choosing, if you can't trust me, but don't make me sell with the bottom out of the market!"

"You've got the bank's decision," he responded, coldly.

"Please--please reconsider! Just give me a chance--you won't be sorry! I only know sheep--I've never had the opportunity to learn anything else, and I've no place to go but that little homestead back in the hills.

I've no one in the world to turn to. Won't you give me a trial, and then if you see I can't handle it--"

"It's no use arguin'." Wentz brought both hands down on the arms of the chair in impatient finality. "We're goin' to ship as soon as we can get cars and drive to the railroad, so you might as well turn them sheep over and stop hollerin'."

Kate rose and took a step forward, her hands outstretched in entreaty:

"Once more I ask you--give me a little time--I'll try and raise the money somewhere--ten days--give me ten days--I beg of you!"

"Ten years or ten days or ten minutes--'twould be all the same," his voice was raucous as he, too, stood up. He looked at her contemptuously.

"No; it's settled. The bank's goin' to take over them sheep, and if there's anything left after the mortgage is satisfied you'll get it." He indicated that the interview was over. "Step in, Pantin."

For the second time within the week Kate went out in the street stunned by the blow which had been dealt her: She stood uncertainly for a moment on the edge of the sidewalk and then began slowly to untie the bridle reins.

"Here's a message that came for you yesterday; we had no way of getting it to you." The girl from the telephone office was regarding her curiously.

Kate turned at the sound of a voice beside her, and took the message which had been telephoned from the nearest telegraph office.

Have just learned of your trouble. Is there anything I can do for you? All sympathy.

HUGH

She read it twice, carefully, while her eyes filled with tears of longing, then she accompanied the girl to the telephone office where she wrote her answer.

I need nothing. Thank you.

KATE PRENTICE

In the meantime Mrs. Toomey was becoming acquainted with a new phase of her husband's character. She had thought she was familiar with all sides of it, those for which she loved him and those which taxed her patience and loyalty; but this moroseness, this brooding ugliness, was different.

He smoked continuously, ate little, drank more coffee than ever she had known him to, and at night twisted and turned restlessly. She could not account for it, since, so far as she knew, there was no more to trouble him than the usual worry as to where their next meals were coming from.

She surrept.i.tiously studied his face wearing this new expression, and asked herself what would become of him with his violent temper, illogical reasoning and lack of balance, if it were not for the restraint of their a.s.sociation? Daily he became a stronger convert to the doctrine that the world owed every one--himself in particular--a living. It was one Mrs. Toomey did not hold with.