“Where is your brother?” inquired the coppery-haired young man.

“He’s out.”

“When will he be back?” demanded Lodwin.

“I don’t know.”

“Come, come, surely you have some idea when he will return?”

The Texan laughed spontaneously.

“I guess the best way I can make sure of getting that farm is to leave you two together for a while. At the end of half an hour I imagine you wouldn’t have a chance,” he said to Lodwin. “That’s exactly what I’ll do.” He drew nearer Gillian, smiled down on her, and went on : “I forgot to introduce myself, Miss Selby. Just call me Tex, everyone back home does that. I don’t want to make a nuisance of myself, but I’m prepared to take a chance that you’ll give me an opportunity to buy that farm. Right now I’ve some other business to attend to, but I’ll be back. You can be sure of that.”

She didn’t know whether she wanted him to go or not. She certainly did not want to be left alone with Lodwin, but beyond that, couldn’t really be sure what she did want.

She said: “I should have to wait for my brother before making any decision, so why don’t you both come back this afternoon?”

“Suits me, ma’am, suits me fine,” the Texan said.

“I see no point in postponing the decision,” interposed Lodwin nastily. “Obviously what you really mean is that you want another bid. Very well. I have the contract of sale in my pocket. I have a thousand pounds in cash, and my cheque for fourteen thousand pounds will be met if you make special clearance arrangements before three o’clock this afternoon. You stand to take no risk at all, Miss Selby. Why don’t you stop being foolish, and sign ?”

He actually took a large envelope out of his pocket. It was badly crumpled at one comer, and a little crumpled everywhere, but somehow had an imposing look. It must have been a very tight fit in his pocket. He unsealed it, and stepped to the table, then shook out the contents. Five-pound notes began to fall out, not in ones and twos, but in dozens. They showered upon the table in a little hillock of paper money. The last thing to fall was a folded sheet of paper.