"Don't be a bally pessimist. It's more than a sportin' chance; it's a sound declaration. I'll have a go at it."
Seeing that he was thoroughly in earnest, Angus endeavored to dissuade him, and at last apparently succeeded.
"But we'll find some way out," he said. "Never say die. No surrender. Yard-arm to yard-arm, and keep the ruddy flag flying, Mackay."
But Angus slept little that night. The problem of raising the money worried him. He thought he could get it from Mr. Braden, but he was not sure. And what worried him just as much was that eventually it must come out of the ranch. His carelessness had saddled it with a fresh load of debt. Then there was Jean. Whatever happened, her education must not be interrupted, her way must be paid. He would see to that if he had to sell every head of stock on the range. The first pale dawn was rousing the birds to sleepy twitterings when he finally forgot his problems in troubled slumber.
CHAPTER XII
THE RACE
Mr. Braden regarded Angus Mackay severely across his desk. "Tut, tut, tut!" he said. "A very bad business, indeed. Bad company. Evil communications, horse racing, gambling. Very bad!"
"But all I did was to hold the stakes," Angus protested.
"That was just what you didn't do," Mr. Braden pointed out. "It is a large sum."