"But," said the girl, "if the man offered more than Hallam or his nominee would outbid, he would have to take the ranch."
Townshead nodded agreement. "That," he said, "is the difficulty. Still, though I do not think there is any one who would do so much for us, I presume you would not have asked the question unless you had something in your mind."
The girl, who did not answer for a moment, stooped and stirred the stove. "No," she said very slowly. "I sent word to Mr. Alton."
"Alton?" said Townshead, and sat silent a while. "Well, although I do not altogether approve of him, I fancy that if there is anybody in this district able to help us that is the man. There remains the question is he willing?"
Nellie Townshead still busied herself at the stove. "I think he is," she said.
Townshead straightened himself a trifle in his chair. "Then, I am curious to know why he should be," he said.
"I do not know," said the girl, who rose and took up the supper dishes.
"Still, I feel sure that he is."
Townshead turned towards her. "You fancied so a moment or two ago, and now you are sure," he said. "There must be some meaning to this."
His daughter looked round and laughed a little, holding the tray at a perilous slope. "He made me promise to let him know," she said.
Her father shook his head. "A young man of Mr. Alton's description does not do anything of the kind without a motive," he said. "Now I wonder if there are minerals upon the ranch."