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 make it in two days.

"If it rains before we git acrost there we may be hung up a day or two. A wagon'll sink to the hubs in them flats right after a rain."

Barrett was fervent in his hope that they would get across the flats before any water fell, although he had no more notion of what an alkali flat was like than he had of a Mussulman's paradise. He said he was eager to get to the ranch and take up the life of cowboy before the romance was gone out of it.

"I don't know much about any romance business, Ed," said Dan, "but I'm here to tell you it's a mighty good game for a man to git out of while he's young and limber. I can't see no deeper into the ground than the next man, but I can see fur enough to know changes are comin' on the range out here that'll push the cattle business off of the map."

"What changes, Dan?"

Barrett looked at his new friend curiously as he asked the question, with the faltering concern of one who begins to see a dream dissolve.

"Grangers," said Dan with gloomy finality.

"I've heard of them," Barrett nodded knowingly, his face clearing.

"Looks to me like a man could see more high life workin' for Uncle Sam on them navy ships," Dan ventured. "I think if I was startin' out to find romantical times and doin's I'd head for the nearest office and put my name down for a job."

"It isn't so bad, but a man wants a change sometimes," Barrett said.