“Well, then, Bobby boy, put your scruples behind you and pay somebody to live on it and prove up for you.” “No use” mourned Bob. “I can see myself at the head of a long procession of desert-land enthusiasts, bound for McNeill's Island, and I'm too young to waste my youth making little rocks out of big ones. Even if the attorney-general didn't have me on the carpet, I'd have to ride herd on one hundred dummy entrymen with a Gatling gun, or else equip each one with an Oregon boot. My land lies in a devil's country and I don't think they'd stay. You see, Mr. Dunstan, were it not for that confounded rule I mentioned, I could purchase a full section of desert land in the public domain, under the provisions of the state lieu land law. Under that law the land would only cost me one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre, while under the United Slates Desert Land Laws it would cost me not less than four dollars and a quarter per acre. Too much money for Bob McGraw. Now, Owens river valley is pure desert, Mr. Dunstan, and it lies, or will lie, very shortly, in the public domain. It is not agricultural land, neither is it coal-bearing nor timbered, so I can purchase it by the full section, which will only require fifty entrymen. Besides, there have never been any entries made heretofore in the section of the valley that I have my eye on, and I'd like to get my land in one strip without having it checker-boarded with adverse holdings.” Dunstan smiled a little wearily. “But we're not getting anywhere, Bob, my boy. You're simply wasting your breath. Just what nebulous idea for the acquisition of this desert land have you floating around in that red head of yours? Now, then, proposition Number One.” “I cannot oppose that rule. I must sneak my applications in and get them filed and secure a receipt, when I will be in position to force the attorney-general to make the selections for my clients.” “Oh, they're clients, eh?” said Dunstan. “I thought they were to be dummy entrymen.” “They are--but they don't know it--and not knowing it, they will not be committing a crime.” “Ignorance of the law excuses nobody, Robert. But proceed with proposition Number Two.” “My clients are to be paupers--so I must pay for the land which they will file upon. Hence I shall need money.” Homer Dunstan figured rapidly on a desk pad. Notarial fees on fifty applications @ $ .50 $ 25.00 Filing fees “ “ “ @ 5.00 250.00 First payment “ “ @ 20.00 1000.00 _______________ Total, $1275.00 “It will take $1275 to start you off, Bob, presuming, for the sake of argument, that your filings are accepted--which, of course, they will not be.” “Oh, I have the twelve seventy-five, all right” said Bob confidently.