had bred. The only trouble with the Farrels," he added, critically,
"was that they and work never got acquainted. If these old
Californians would consent to imbibe a few lessons in industry and
economy from their Japanese neighbors, their wonderful state would be
supporting thirty million people a hundred years from now."

"I wonder how many of that mythical thirty millions would be Japs?" she
queried, innocently.

"That is a problem with which we will not have to concern ourselves,
Kay, because we shall not be here."

"Some day, popsy-wops, that soldier will drop in at our ranch and lock
horns with you on the Japanese question."

"When he does," Parker replied, good-naturedly, "I shall make a
star-spangled monkey out of him. I'm loaded for these Californians.
I've investigated their arguments, and they will not hold water, I tell
you. I'll knock out the contentions of your unknown knight like
tenpins in a bowling-alley. See if I don't."

"He's nobody's fool, dad."

"Quite so. He knows why young turkeys are hard to raise in the fall?"

She bent upon him a radiant smile of the utmost good humor.

"Score one for the unknown knight," she bantered. "That is more than
we know. And turkey was sixty cents a pound last Thanksgiving!
Curious information from our view-point, perhaps, but profitable."