He stood up as a sign for Hegan to go.
The latter was plainly stunned. He also rose to his feet, but stood looking helplessly around.
"Sheer, downright, absolute insanity," he muttered.
Daylight put his hand on the other's shoulder.
"Buck up, Larry.
You're always talking about the wonders of human nature, and here I am giving you another sample of it and you ain't appreciating it.
I'm a bigger dreamer than you are, that's all, and I'm sure dreaming what's coming true.
It's the biggest, best dream I ever had, and I'm going after it to get it—"
"By losing all you've got," Hegan exploded at him.
"Sure—by losing all I've got that I don't want.
But I'm hanging on to them hundred and forty hair bridles just the same.
Now you'd better hustle out to Unwin and Harrison and get on down town.
I'll be at the hotel, and you can call me up any time."
He turned to Dede as soon as Hegan was gone, and took her by the hand.
"And now, little woman, you needn't come to the office any more.
Consider yourself discharged.
And remember I was your employer, so you've got to come to me for recommendation, and if you're not real good, I won't give you one.
In the meantime, you just rest up and think about what things you want to pack, because we'll just about have to set up housekeeping on your stuff—leastways, the front part of the house."
"But, Elam, I won't, I won't!
If you do this mad thing I never will marry you."
She attempted to take her hand away, but he closed on it with a protecting, fatherly clasp.
"Will you be straight and honest? All right, here goes. Which would you sooner have—me and the money, or me and the ranch?"
"But—" she began.
"No buts.
Me and the money?"
She did not answer.
"Me and the ranch?"
Still she did not answer, and still he was undisturbed.
"You see, I know your answer, Dede, and there's nothing more to say.
Here's where you and I quit and hit the high places for Sonoma.
You make up your mind what you want to pack, and I'll have some men out here in a couple of days to do it for you.
It will be about the last work anybody else ever does for us.
You and I will do the unpacking and the arranging ourselves."
She made a last attempt.
"Elam, won't you be reasonable?
There is time to reconsider.
I can telephone down and catch Mr. Hegan as soon as he reaches the office—"
"Why, I'm the only reasonable man in the bunch right now," he rejoined.
"Look at me—as calm as you please, and as happy as a king, while they're fluttering around like a lot of cranky hens whose heads are liable to be cut off."
"I'd cry, if I thought it would do any good," she threatened.
"In which case I reckon I'd have to hold you in my arms some more and sort of soothe you down," he threatened back.
"And now I'm going to go.
It's too bad you got rid of Mab. You could have sent her up to the ranch.
But see you've got a mare to ride of some sort or other."
As he stood at the top of the steps, leaving, she said:—
"You needn't send those men.
There will be no packing, because I am not going to marry you."
"I'm not a bit scared," he answered, and went down the steps.
CHAPTER XXIV
Three days later, Daylight rode to Berkeley in his red car. It was for the last time, for on the morrow the big machine passed into another's possession.