Chapter II

           Onthefollowingmorning,HarranDerrickwasupandaboutbyalittleaftersixo’clock,andaquarterofanhourlaterhadbreakfastinthekitchenoftheranchhouse,preferringnottowaituntiltheChinesecooklaidthetableintheregulardining-room.Hescentedahardday’sworkaheadofhim,andwasanxioustobeatitbetimes.HewaspracticallythemanagerofLosMuertos,and,withtheaidofhisforemanandthreedivisionsuperintendents,carriedforwardnearlytheentiredirectionoftheranch,occupyinghimselfwiththedetailsofhisfather’splans,executinghisorders,signingcontracts,payingbills,andkeepingthebooks.

           Forthelastthreeweekslittlehadbeendone.Thecrop—suchasitwas—hadbeenharvestedandsold,andtherehadbeenageneralrelaxationofactivityforupwardsofamonth.Now,however,thefallwascomingon,thedryseasonwasaboutatitsend;anytimeafterthetwentiethofthemonththefirstrainsmightbeexpected,softeningtheground,puttingitintoconditionfortheplough.Twodaysbeforethis,HarranhadnotifiedhissuperintendentsonThreeandFourtosendinsuchgrainastheyhadreservedforseed.OnTwothewheathadnotevenshownitselfabovetheground,whileonOne,theHomeranch,whichwasunderhisownimmediatesupervision,theseedhadalreadybeengradedandselected.

           ItwasHarran’sintentiontocommenceblue-stoninghisseedthatday,adelicateandimportantprocesswhichpreventedrustandsmutappearinginthecropwhenthewheatshouldcomeup.