"My five thousand was as good, so far as it went, as Seymour's hundred. He got in at fifty. He's made good at one hundred and forty. If you had let me in, I would have had twelve thousand five hundred now. It will take me a long time to earn that." She spoke with assumed levity. Elijah was regarding her through half-closed eyes. He spoke very deliberately. "You are right, I wanted to do it, but Ralph wouldn't consent. He meant all right," he added hastily. "I'll tell you what I'll do. I'll let you have five thousand dollars of my stock at fifty. That will set you straight." "No it won't." There was no levity in Helen's voice. "Why?" Elijah's eyes opened in surprise. "Because that would be a present, and I don't want presents. What I get, I want to get myself." "It wouldn't be a present. It would be a reward. You've earned it." Elijah spoke earnestly and warmly. "From you, not from the company," she replied decidedly and with finality. "Besides, I've discovered a way to help myself. That's better." "That brings us back to the first point. What were you mulling over?" Helen drew the map toward them and weighted down the corners. "Oranges don't mind a breath of cold air now and then; they're dead set against a freeze out." She was looking quizzically at Elijah. An expression of assured satisfaction came over her face at Elijah's astonishment. His head was thrown back as he raised his eyes to Helen's face. "What do you mean?" "As if I needed to tell you." Her lips were scornful at the limitations Elijah had put upon her. A smile softened the scorn and left a doubt as to which emotion was dominant. "You know that oranges on a hillside with southwestern exposure will do better than in an unprotected river bottom." Elijah looked up fiercely. "Has Ralph been talking?" "No; but you have." "I never said anything of the kind to you." "I'm not a phonograph." "You've no right to make use of information that you get from a confidential position." Elijah's voice was decided. There was a startled look on his face that he could not keep from being anxious. "Not even to make myself more useful?" Elijah did not commit himself to words. His eyes were expectant. Helen continued, pointing to the map. "This land is practically vacant. It's owned by a Mexican. He would jump at a dollar an acre. It is separated from this of yours by a hill. He would never dream of a tunnel. Some one else may. There are thousands of acres just as good as the land you control. What's the matter with forming a land company independent of the Las Cruces? My five thousand would cover five thousand acres. When water gets to it, say it's worth a hundred; that will make me five hundred thousand to the good. That's better than a present of Las Cruces at fifty, and it will come from myself." "I never told you about the tunnel. How did you find it out?" Helen could not restrain a satisfied smile.