With
such purpose clearly before him . . . and before her, too, for that
matter, since Miss Florrie had a keen little comprehension of her
own . . . he spoke largely of himself and his blossoming plans. He was
a vaquero, to begin with; he had ridden fifty miles yesterday on range
business; he was making money; he was putting part of that money away
in Mr. Engle's bank. There was a little ranch on the rim of Engle's
big holding which belonged to an old half-breed; Elmer meant to acquire
it himself one of these days. And before so very long, too. Mr. Engle
had been approached and was looking into it, might be persuaded to
advance the couple of thousand dollars for the property, taking as
security a mortgage until Elmer could have squared for it. Then Black
Bill would begin stocking his place, a cow now, a horse, another cow,
and so on.
He had launched himself valiantly into his tale. But at a certain
point he began to swallow and catch at his words and smoke fast between
sentences. He had located a dandy spot for a house . . . the jolliest
little spring of cold water you ever saw . . . a knoll with big trees
upon it.
"We'll make up a party with Virginia and Norton some day and ride out
there," he said abruptly. "I . . . I'd like to have you see it, Fluff.
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