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somebuddynextyear。It’udbeagoodchanceferyou。Anyhow，yougotobedandsleeplikeababe。I’vegotsomeploughingt’do，anyhow，an’we’llseeifsomethin’can’tbedoneaboutyourcase。
Ike，yougooutan’seeifthehorsesisallright，an’I’llshowthefolkst’bed。“
Whenthetiredhusbandandwifewerelyingunderthegenerousquiltsofthesparebed，Haskinslistenedamomenttothewindintheeaves，andthensaid，withaslowandsolemntone，“Therearepeopleinthisworldwhoaregoodenought’beangels，an’onlyhafft’dietobeangels。“
JimButlerwasoneofthosemencalledintheWest“landpoor。“
EarlyinthehistoryofRockRiverhehadcomeintothetownandstartedinthegrocerybusinessinasmallway，occupyingasmallbuildinginameanpartofthetown。Atthisperiodofhislifeheearnedallhegot，andwasupearlyandlatesortingbeans，workingoverbutter，andcartinghisgoodstoandfromthestation。Butachangecameoverhimattheendofthesecondyear，whenhesoldalotoflandforfourtimeswhathepaidforit。Fromthattimeforwardhebelievedinlandspeculationasthesurestwayofgettingrich。Everycenthecouldsaveorsparefromhistradeheputintolandatforcedsale，ormortgagesonland，whichwere“justasgoodasthewheat，“hewasaccustomedtosay。
Farmafterfarmfellintohishands，untilhewasrecognizedasoneoftheleadinglandownersofthecounty。HismortgageswerescatteredalloverCedarCounty，andastheyslowlybutsurelyfellinhesoughtusuallytoretaintheformerownerastenant。
Hewasnotreadytoforeclose；indeed，hehadthenameofbeingoneofthe“easiest“meninthetown。Heletthedebtoroffagainandagain，extendingthetimewheneverpossible。
“Idon’twanty’rland，“hesaid。“AllI’mafteristheint’restonmymoneythat’sall。Now，ify’want’ostayonthefarm，why，I’llgivey’agoodchance。Ican’thavethelandlayin’vacant。“Andinmanycasestheownerremainedastenant。
Inthemeantimehehadsoldhisstore；hecouldn’tspendtimeinit-
hewasmainlyoccupiednowwithsittingaroundtownonrainydayssmokingand“gassin’withtheboys，“orinridingtoandfromhisfarms。Infishing-timehefishedagooddeal。DocGrimes，BenAshley，andCalCheathamwerehiscroniesonthesefishingexcursionsorhuntingtripsinthetimeofchickensorpartridges。InwintertheywenttoNorthernWisconsintoshootdeer。
InspiteofallthesesignsofeasylifeButlerpersistedinsayinghe“hadn’tenoughmoneytopaytaxesonhisland，“andwascarefultoconveytheimpressionthathewaspoorinspiteofhistwentyfarms。Atonetimehewassaidtobeworthfiftythousanddollars，butlandhadbeenalittleslowofsaleoflate，sothathewasnotworthsomuch。
Afinefarm，knownastheHigleyplace，hadfallenintohishandsintheusualwaythepreviousyear，andhehadnotbeenabletofindatenantforit。PoorHigley，afterworkinghimselfnearlytodeathonitintheattempttoliftthemortgage，hadgoneofftoDakota，leavingthefarmandhiscursetoButler。
ThiswasthefarmwhichCounciladvisedHaskinstoapplyfor；
andthenextdayCouncilhitcheduphisteamanddrovedowntoseeButler。
“Youjestletmedothetalkin’，“hesaid。“We’llfindhimwearin’
outhispantsonsomesaltbarrelsomew’ers；andifhethoughtyouwantedaplacehe’dsockittoyouhotandheavy。Youjestkeepquiet，I’llfix’im。“
ButlerwasseatedinBenAshley’sstoretellingfishyarnswhenCouncilsaunteredincasually。
“Hello，But；lyin’agin，hey？“
“Hello，Steve!Howgoesit？“
“Oh，so-so。Tooclangmuchrainthesedays。Ithoughtitwasgoin’tfreezeupf’rgoodlastnight。TightsqueakifIgetm’ploughin’
done。How’sfarmin’withyouthesedays？“
“Bad。Ploughin’ain’thalfdone。“
“It’udbeareligiousideef’ryout’gooutan’takeahandy’rself。“
“Idon’thaffto，“saidButler，withawink。
“GotanybodyontheHigleyplace？“
“No。Knowofanybody？“
“Waal，no；noteggsackly。I’vegotarelationba
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