But I didn't know there was much tillable land left lying around loose," he ventured to say.
Again Miss Hallman made the pretty gesture, which might mean much or nothing.

"There's plenty of land 'lying around loose,' as you call it.
How do you know it won't produce, till it has been tried ?" "That's right," Andy assented uneasily.

"If there's water to put on it--" "And since there is the land, our business lies in getting people located on it.

The towns and the railroads are back of us.

That is, they look with favor upon bringing settlers into the country.