CHAPTER III.
LAND AND LOVE.
Mr.Minorkey and the fat gentleman found much to interest them as the coach rolled over the smooth prairie road, now and then crossing a slough.

Not that Mr.Minorkey or his fat friend had any particular interest in the beautiful outline of the grassy knolls, the gracefulness of the water-willows that grew along the river edge, and whose paler green was the prominent feature of the landscape, or in the sweet contrast at the horizon where grass-green earth met the light blue northern sky.

But the scenery none the less suggested fruitful themes for talk to the two gentlemen on the back-seat.
"I've got money loaned on that quarter at three per cent a month and five after due.

The mortgage has a waiver in it too.

You see, the security was unusually good, and that was why I let him have it so low." This was what Mr.Minorkey said at intervals and with some variations, generally adding something like this: "The day I went to look at that claim, to see whether the security was good or not, I got caught in the rain.