What gave him satisfaction was that Gore asked him about the price of a range, and whether a suitable one was to be had anywhere near.
"It would not be," Don Joaquin bade him note, "the price of the range only. Without some capital it would be throwing money away to buy one."
"Of course. What would range and stock and all cost?"
"That would depend on the size of the range, and the amount of stock it would bear. And also on whether the range were very far out, like this one. If it were near a town and the railway, it would cost more to buy."
Gore quite understood that, and Don Joaquin spoke of "Blaine's" range. "It lies nearer Maxwell than this. But it is not so large, and Blaine has never made much of it—he had not capital enough to put on it the stock it should have had, and he was never the right man. A townsman in all his bones, and his wife towny too. And their girls worse. He wants to clear. He will never do good there."
The two men discussed the matter at some length. It seemed to the elder of them that Gore would seriously entertain the plan, and had the money for the purchase.
"I have thought sometimes," said Joaquin, "of buying Blaine's myself."
"Of course, I would not think of it if you wanted it. I would not even make any inquiry—that would be sending the price up."
"Yes. But, if you decide to go in for it, I shall not mind. I have land enough and stock enough, and work enough. I should have bought it if I had a son growing up."
It was satisfactory to Don Joaquin to find that Gore could buy a large range and afford capital to stock it. If he went on with such a purchase it would prove him "substantial as to conditions." And he was a Catholic, also a good thing.