The Dolores star., 1924-08-22
Novel of the Foothills
pvROBERT STEAD
"Th. Co. Pssehsr--"Ths Hsss-
Pfho' y ',,.sJS,"-"ksighbors etc.
I,,h, b, ROBERT STEAD
CHAPTER xIi-continued.

cuapTER xIi-continued.
is
two friends discussed Mt great
h the details of the Big Idea. and
arrival in the West, sLinder lost
,me in preparing blueprints and
.s descriptive of the improve
10 be made on the land and the
IN which the work was to be
cd on. Grant bought a tract suit
10 his purpose, and the wheels
,s machine were set In motion.
this had been done Grant
pd TO the working out of his own
ldual experiment.
ring the period in which these ar
ements were being made 1t was
table that Grant should have
more or less of Transley. He
not gone out Of his way to seek
rmatlon of the contractor, but 1t
r had been forced upon him.
sIey's name was frequently heard
. offices of the business men with
h he had to do: 1t was mentioned
Scal papers with the regularity pc
r to celebrities in comparatively
centers. Transley, 1t appeared,
become something Of power In
md, Backed by old Y.D.'s capi-
be had carried some rather daring
rres through to success. He had
h the panicky moments following
Iutbreak Of the war to buy heavily
he wheat and cattle markets, and
ases in prices due to the worlds
Ind for food had made him one
e wealthy men Of the city. The
( Of many young farmers to enlist
also afforded an opportunity to
Ire their holdings for small con-
htlons, and Transley had proved
Patriotism by facilitating the am
bs Of as many men In this posi-
as came to his attention. The
that even before the war ended
Farms which he acquired in this
were worth several times the
he paid was only an Incident In
ransactlons.
no word of Transley's domestic
Is reached Grant, who told him
that he had ceased to be Inter
in them, but kept an alert ear
theess. 1t would seem that
kley rather eclipsed his wife In
public eye.
Grant set about with the devel-
bit Of his own farm, and kept his
occupied with 1t and with his
experiment-except when It
flirting with thoughts of Phyllis
He had written to Murdoch
lgage Phyllis at any price and
her West with him. She would
feded In the new business. He
minated that the change would
rmnnent, and that 1t might be
10 bring the family.
selected farm where ridge
bthIlls overlooked a broad valley
ng into the mountains. The
had no idea of selling him this
rlar piece of land; they were
for half section farther up the
when Grant stopped on the brow
hill to feast his eyes on the
that lay before him. 1t burst
him with the unexpectedness Pc
to the foothlll valleys; miles of
undulnting plain, lying appar-
far below, but in reality rising
sharp ascent toward the snow
mountains looking down silent
lough their gauze OF blue-purple
Don mist. At distances which
his trained eye would not at
to compute lay little round
Ike silver coins on the surface
prairie; here and there were
green bluffs of spruce; to the
ribbon Of river, blue green
where the rapids churned it
and along It's edge fringe of
cottonwoods; at vast intervals
black plots of plowed land like
ns on n chessboard of the gods,
lrm buildings cut so clear in the
pin atmosphere that the sense
ice was lost and they seemed
hild-houses just across the way.
pt turned to his companion with
NATION on his face which almost
p the prosalc dealer in real
|nderful. Wonderful !" he e1-
p. We don't need to 90 any
If you can sell me this"
e can sell you this" said the
looking at him somewhat
y That is, IL you want 1t. /
you were looking for a wheat
mans total lack of apprecla-
rritated Grant unreasonably.
Nils the belly" he retorted,
lnsets keep alive the soul. What
pricef"
tie dealer gave him a queer
s Look, and made as though to
with him, then suddenly seemed
hse his purpose. Perhaps he
% that strange things happened
boys overseas.
get you the price in town." he
iou are sure 1t will suit?"
No king in Chrlstendom has
ace on a site like this. I'd go