He bent upon her a benign and almost paternal glance.  “You’re tremendously sweet to put that flea in my ear, Kay.  It’s a wonderful prescription, but it lacks one small ingredient—­the wealthy, courageous and self-sacrificing friend who will consent to run the sandy on your astute parent, as a favor to me.”

She gave him a tender, prescient little smile—­the smile of one who sees beyond a veil objects not visible to the eyes of other mortals.

“Well, even if he is my dear father he ought to be nice about it and see to it that you receive a fair price for your equity.”  She clenched her little fist.  “Why, Don Mike, that’s just like killing the wounded.”

“My dear girl, I do not blame your father at all.  What claim have I on his sympathy or his purse?  I’m a stranger to him.  One has to be a sport in such matters and take the blow with a smile.”

“I don’t care.  It’s all wrong,” she replied with spirit.  “And I’m going to tell my father so.”

“Oh, I’ve thought up a plan for escaping with a profit,” he assured her, lightly.  “It will leave you folks in undisputed possession of the house and the ranch, leave Bill Conway free to proceed with his valuable contract and leave me free to mount Panchito and fare forth to other and more virgin fields—­I trust.  All of this within a period of forty-eight hours.”

Was it fancy, or had her face really blanched a little?

“Why—­why, Don Mike!  How extraordinary!”

“On the contrary, quite ordinary.  It’s absurdly simple.  I need some getaway money.  I ought to have it—­and I’m going to get it by the oldest known method—­extortion through intimidation.  Your father is a smart man and he will see the force of my argument.”

“He’s a very stubborn man and doesn’t bluff worth a cent,” she warned him and added:  “Particularly when he doesn’t like one or when he is angry.  And whatever you do, do not threaten him.  If you threaten him, instantly he will be consumed with curiosity to see you make good.”

“I shall not threaten him.  I shall merely talk business to him.  That’s a language he understands.”

“How much money do you expect to realize?”

“About half a million dollars.”

“In return for what?”

“A quit claim deed to the Rancho Palomar.  He can have a title in fee simple to the ranch by noon tomorrow and thus be spared the necessity for a new suit to foreclose that accursed mortgage and the concomitant wait of one year before taking possession.  He will then be free to continue his well-drilling and dam-building in Caliente Basin; he can immediately resume his negotiations with Okada for the purchase of the entire valley and will be enabled, in all probability, to close the deal at a splendid profit.  Then he can proceed to erect his hydro-electric plant and sell it for another million dollars’ profit to one of the parent power companies throughout the state; when that has been disposed of he can lease or sell the range land to Andre Loustalot and finally he can retire with the prospect of unceasing dividends from the profits of his irrigation company.  Within two years he will have a profit of at least two million dollars, net, but this will not be possible until he has first disposed of me at a total disposing price of five hundred thousand dollars.”