"
"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.
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