The Spoilers of the Valley Part 82

Jim gasped, and Phil sucked with his lips, for the Redmans Ranch was Brenchfield's one best bet; it was one of the finest and largest ranches on that side of the Okanagan Lake.

Jim winked to Phil.

"Would the bank lend you forty thousand dollars on it?" asked Phil.

"Sure!" braved the Mayor. "They'd be tickled to death to do it."

Phil got up.

"I guess you'd better make friends with them and get their loan. We haven't any desire for the name of Graham Brenchfield on our books;--it wouldn't look good."

The Mayor jumped up, his face livid.

"What's that?" he cried. "You--you would say that to me who could squeeze you like this----"

"No good! You tried hard to do it several times, but it wouldn't work."

"Haven't you got a say in this, Langford?"

"Yes!--and my say's the same as Phil's."

"By G.o.d! I'll fix both of you good and plenty before I'm through.

You--you pair of Real Estate sharks!"

Jim pounced on him and pinned him against the door before he could say another word. Brenchfield was impotent.

"Another word o' that, and I'll bang your heid through the panel,"

exclaimed Jim, rising as usual in his anger to his beloved native tongue.

Brenchfield quieted down, lamblike, and Jim released him.

He spoke to Jim and pointed his finger at Phil.

"You wouldn't feel so mighty bad about what I say, if you knew you had a ticket-of-leave jailbird for a partner."

"Yes, you dirty, black-mailing thief!" answered Jim. "I know--and if you open your trap here or anywhere else, I'll put you where you belong, whether Phil agrees to it or not,--see!

"You're broke, Brenchfield. The bank has got you, and got you good.

They'll show you what squeezing is; d.a.m.n you for what you are!

"Here's your hat! Get out! And, by Heck!--as I open the door for you,--smile; for heaven's sake, smile, and delude the staff that we've had a nice, genial, conversational love-feast."

But Mayor Brenchfield's jaunty air had departed. He tried hard to appear unconcerned as he hurried away, but the smile was frozen at the tap and refused to turn on.

"Things are getting lively," remarked Jim. "Here are some more!"

The outer office was filled with inquirers.

All morning Phil and Jim were kept busy turning prospective money buyers down.

The news of the banks' new att.i.tude regarding the advancing of money on the security of realty had spread quickly. Property values flopped like a house of cards and interest rates soared sky-high.

At the end of the week, Eileen's father telegraphed his acceptance of the offers made for his property the previous Monday. But these offers were already withdrawn, and even ridiculous prices were hard to get, as everyone was keen on selling and no one at all anxious to purchase.

It was the old story, which had repeated itself time and again in almost every new town and settlement on the American Continent.

Someone had to bear the burden of it at the finish. No one was particularly anxious to be that one. All were scrambling to get out from under. Mother Earth and Father Money had put their feet down, as they always do, sooner or later.

In the midst of the excitement, Phil and Jim had a strange visitor.

For the first time to their knowledge, he was Canadianised in appearance. His slippers were subst.i.tuted for boots, his loose-fitting clothes were in the discard for a second-hand suit of European model, several sizes too big for him, and he was minus his pig-tail.

At first glance, Jim was unable to recognise him, then he laughed.

"Good land, Phil! See what the breeze has blown in. Ah Sing!

"How-do, Ah,--or is it, Sing!"

"Ya! You lemember me,--Ah Sing! Me allee same Canadian."

The Chinaman was brazen as bra.s.s. But evidently he had something on his mind.

"Me no work any more lanch. Bossee man no likee Chinaman!"

"I don't blame him!" answered Jim, across the polished counter.

"Me go back next week my old job. Me go back work in big bank.

Me be janitor. Me washee window, washee floor; watchman allee night-time,--see!"

"You be heap scared, Sing! Devil he get you in bank."

"No,--me no scared! Me bling three, four black cat. Me losem pig-tail,--me Canadian,--me no scared no more."

"Canadian,--but still hanging on to the black cat theory,--eh! That's just typical of what we have to suffer, Phil, in this country.

"Well, the bank has a lot to answer for. Man, Phil, but it would serve them rightly if they got let in some day, employing that kind of labour when they could get decent white if only they cared to pay the price.

"Sing!--what you want? We heap busy."

"I catchem letter my uncle,--see!"

He handed a paper to Jim which was brushed over with black Chinese characters.

"Maybe you are a Canuck, Sing, but I'm no blooming Chinaman. What does this say?"

"I catchem this letter from China to-day. He say allee place my wifee and my mama live, rain come down allee time. No come down water."

Ah Sing's face was solemn as a priest's.

"It come down blood--pigs' hair, too; one, two feet deep, all over.

Heap bad! I want catchem money send my uncle so he, and my wifee, my mama, all go away other place.