“When you foreclose....”  Pell repeated the words as if he had not quite comprehended.  Then he said to young Jones:  “You said this ranch belongs to you?” What was the matter with him?  Was his mind clouding?  The stuff he had drunk?  He put his hand to his forehead.

“It does,” Gilbert explained.  “You see, it isn’t eight o’clock yet.”  A faint smile came to his lips.

Hardy failed to see the humor of the situation.  “It’s as good as eight o’clock, as far as he’s concerned.”  And he rattled the silver coins again.

“Oh, is that so?” said Pell, beginning to see daylight.  To young Jones he said:  “How far is it to town?”

“Twenty miles, I should say.”

Pell thought a second, “Is that flivver of yours working, Jones?”

“In a way.”

Pell thought harder.  “We’ve got plenty of time,” he said, as if to himself.  “Five hours!  Get your hat,” turning to the young man.

Gilbert was confused.  “What’s the idea?”

“We’re going to pay the mortgage, of course.  How much is it?”

“Shouldn’t you have asked that first—­as a good business man?”

“Answer me:  how much is it?”

“Ten thousand dollars,” came the quick response.

“And your equity?” Pell pursued, businesslike enough now.

“Another ten thousand.”

He thought Morgan Pell would be stunned.  Instead, he merely said, “I’ll give you twenty thousand.  That’ll pay the mortgage and give you your ten back.  You can give me an option while I’m arranging payment.  Get me?  That’ll save time.”

“You mean you’ll give me twenty thousand dollars for this ranch?” Gilbert said, unable to understand.

“Exactly.  Will you take it?”

“You bet your life he’ll take it!” cried Uncle Henry, whom everyone had forgotten in the excitement of the moment.  He rolled his chair expertly to the table, and peered into his nephew’s face, fearing he would make a fool of himself once more.  He was trembling with excitement.

“Then that’s settled,” Pell announced.

Unnoticed, Lucia had come to the top of the stairway, and stood listening to every word.  And Hardy, who had been trying his best to get a word in edgewise, finally managed to cry out: 

“Wait a minute!”

No one paid any attention to him.  Gilbert was in deep meditation.  He turned to Pell.  “But I don’t want to be under any obligation to you,” he said.

“You won’t,” the other affirmed, and anxiety was in his voice.  “Well, is it a go?”

“A go?” yelled Uncle Henry, unable to restrain himself.  “It’s gone!”

Hardy stepped in between Pell and Jones.

“Hold on, there!  You can’t do this.”

Pell looked him squarely in the face, “Why not, I’d like to know.”

“You mean you’d do me out of this property at the last minute?” Jasper Hardy asked.

Pell smiled.  “That’s my specialty!”