“How? Who needs me?”
“I do. I'm playin' out fast. An' Beasley's my enemy. The ranch an' all I got will go to Nell. Thet ranch will have to be run by a man an' HELD by a man. Do you savvy? It's a big job. An' I'm offerin' to make you my foreman right now.”
“Al, you sort of take my breath,” replied Dale. “An' I'm sure grateful. But the fact is, even if I could handle the job, I—I don't believe I'd want to.”
“Make yourself want to, then. Thet 'd soon come. You'd get interested. This country will develop. I seen thet years ago. The government is goin' to chase the Apaches out of here. Soon homesteaders will be flockin' in. Big future, Dale. You want to get in now. An'—”
Here Auchincloss hesitated, then spoke lower:
“An' take your chance with the girl!... I'll be on your side.”
A slight vibrating start ran over Dale's stalwart form.
“Al—you're plumb dotty!” he exclaimed.
“Dotty! Me? Dotty!” ejaculated Auchincloss. Then he swore. “In a minit I'll tell you what you are.”
“But, Al, that talk's so—so—like an old fool's.”