That night found them within four miles of the house, so Raquel rode on to El Rancho, as the boys would have the stock safely corralled before noon next day. March fifteenth was still two days away. But the next day at La Cruz, Raquel was to learn that business was not accomplished merely by giving orders, sending telegrams, securing promises. “No cars available for the fifteenth,” was the message she got over the telephone from the El Paso freight agent. There was no further word from the Kansas City commission firm, so she hurried back to Los Ranchos to advise with Russ. “The first time I’ve had my feet under a table in more than two weeks,” she said as she sat at lunch with Mom. The sound of a car was heard outside. Panchito came in to say that _un caballero_ wished to see the padroncita. Raquel went out to find a sporty-looking gentleman in a plaid ulster sitting in a rented car. He jumped out and introduced himself as buyer for the Kansas City firm with which she was dealing. “Was in El Paso, Miss Daniels. Am buying to supply the Government. Just thought I’d run up here and see you personally in regard to your wire.” He showed her a copy of her telegram to his firm. Feeders would bring only thirty-five dollars on the hoof, he said. Feeders, as all cattle country folks know, are cattle shipped straight from the range to be fed up by the packing companies on corn cakes and hay until their meat is hardened and fit for market. Raquel was disturbed and disappointed, but quickly calculated that as they had brought in two hundred extra head they could ship every animal, make enough to meet all expenses, and still have forty thousand dollars clear. That would take care of the note, the option and the interest. “But I can’t get cars until after the fifteenth, anyway,” she told him. “Oh, I think I could swing that for you, Miss,” he replied easily. “If you’ll just say the word on this deal and close right now, I think we can manage to have those cars on the fifteenth.” Caution made her refuse to close any deal until she had thought it over, and could make other inquiries. She agreed to meet him in La Cruz two days later. Turning to the stock page of her paper that evening she found feeders quoted at fifty-five dollars a head for the coming week. The rise in beef that took place during the war, and that later was to bring every head of stock to seventy-five and ninety dollars on the hoof, had begun. Raquel was amazed. She sent Georgie riding in to La Cruz the first thing next morning to telegraph inquiry to Kansas City and to wire El Paso about her cattle cars again. He was to wait until three for the answers.