Page:Stewart Edward White--The Rose Dawn.djvu/281

Rh bring anything approaching that return, and at the same time take so little from the ranch as a ranch?" he asked.

"Nowhere, sir. I acknowledge that," replied the Colonel. "That is not the question."

"But sooner or later you will have to find such a piece."

Colonel Peyton stiffened.

"Why did you say that, sir?"

"Come, Colonel, you know as well as I do that the time is not far distant when you must raise some money, and a good sum of money, to keep you afloat. There's no use our trying to fool each other. Here I'm offering you the chance of a lifetime to get squared away. You can't go on renewing mortgages forever, you know!"

"I find, sir, you appear too conversant with my private affairs," said Colonel Peyton, stiffly.

"I am an official in the First National Bank," Boyd pointed out, "and I am saying nothing that I do not know legitimately."

"Sir," rejoined Colonel Peyton. "I regret to seem discourteous to a guest, but I must remind you that officially, as you call it, you are concerned only with whether I pay my interest on the appointed dates. That, I believe, has been done."

"And with whether you pay the principal on the appointed dates, too," added Boyd, rising. "Don't forget that."

The Colonel bent his brows down on the shorter man.

"Am I to construe that as a threat, sir?" he demanded, coldly.

Boyd's face flushed and his neck swelled. He was not a man patiently to brook opposition at any time; but unreasonable and purposeless opposition like this was beyond all credence.

"I am not interested in constructions," he snapped. "I am stating facts it would be well to keep in mind before you turn down your chance. Look up the dates of your mortgages, I advise you, before you decide. I'll give you two days. I'll send Spinner for your answer."

"That will be quite useless, sir," replied the Colonel, icily. "You can have my answer now. I do not care to sell. And permit me to call your attention to the fact that it is the custom for bank officials to give notice of due mortgages by mail."

Boyd drove down the avenue in a glow of righteous anger.