"Oh, well," returned John, "I've thought of that too. And you'll find that when, the county treasury changes hands in '79, you'll have to look after the bond account and the treasurer's books and make a little entry to satisfy the bonds when they really fall due; then--I'll show you about it when we're over at the court-house. But if we can't get the money back with Gabe or the next man, the time will come when we can." And Bob Hendricks looked at the natty little man before him and sighed, and began working for the Larger Good also. And afterwards as the months flew by the Golden Belt Wheat Company paid the interest on the forged note, and the bank paid the Golden Belt Wheat Company interest on a daily ledger balance of nine thousand, and all went happily. The Larger Good accepted the sacrifices of truth, and went on its felicitous way. After Barclay left the bank that night, Hendricks found still more of the truth. And the devil in the background of his soul came out and glared through the young man's sleepless eyes as he appeared in Barclay's office in the morning and said, before he had found a chair, "John, what's your idea about those farmers' mortgages? Are you going to let them pay them, or are you going to make them sell under that option that you've got in them?" "Why," asked Barclay, "what's it to us? Haven't the courts decided that that kind of an option is a sale--clear through to the United States Supreme Court?" "Well, what are you going to do about it?" persisted Hendricks. Barclay squinted sidewise at his partner for a few seconds and said, "Well, it's no affair of ours; we've sold all the mortgages anyway." Hendricks wagged his head impatiently and exclaimed, "Quit your dodging and give me a square answer--what have you got up your sleeve about those options?" Barclay rose, limped to the window, and looked out as he answered: "Well, I've always supposed we'd fix it up some way to buy back those mortgages and then take the land we want for ourselves--for you and me personally--and give the poor land back to the farmers if they pay the money we lent them." "Well," returned Hendricks, "just count me out on that. Whatever I make in this deal, and you seem to think our share will be plenty, goes to getting those farmers back their land. So far as I'm concerned that money we paid them was rent, not a loan!" Barclay dropped his hands in astonishment and gaped at Hendricks. "Well, my dear Miss Nancy," he exclaimed, "when did you get religion?"