Kurt answered in the affirmative, whereupon a tall man, wearing a long linen coat, opened the car door to step out.

In the car remained the driver and another man.
"My name is Hall," announced the stranger, with a pleasant manner.

"I'm from Washington, D.C.I represent the government and am in the Northwest in the interest of the Conservation Commission.

Your name has been recommended to me as one of the progressive young wheat-growers of the Bend; particularly that you are an American, located in a country exceedingly important to the United States just now--a country where foreign-born people predominate." Kurt, somewhat startled and awed, managed to give a courteous greeting to his visitor, and asked him into the house.

But Mr.Hall preferred to sit outdoors on the porch.