The Long Chance

an inkling of the difficulties confronting him, it is necessary that the reader take a five-minute course in land law. This is regrettabl

overnment has ceded them to the various states, to be sold by the states for the use and benefit of their public school funds. School lands are open to p

nt (which latter condition obtains very frequently in California, where the titles to many huge grants still hold since the days of the Mexican occupation) they are lost to the state. In such cases, the Federal government reimburses t

u, thereof, are known as "state lieu lands," and the lands which were originally state school lands and which have been

r-general of the state, who is also ex-officio registrar of the State Land Office. If there are no school lands open for purchase at the time, naturally they cannot be purchased; but if, on the contrary, the state owns many sections of school lands which have been included in restricted ar

ble. Bob's restless nature would not permit of his taking up the claim under the homestead law, for that would entail residence on the property for more years than Bob could afford to remain away from his beloved desert; hence he decided to acquire it by purchase as state

California. He knew that, owing to the recent extension of the Forest Reserve policy, thousands of acres of school lands had recently been lost to the state, and that therefore, under the law, there coul

utely no foundation under any section of legislative procedure-which stipulated that before the State Land Office could receive or grant an appl

tion that that was the surveyor-general's business, not mine. I had a notion that he was paid f

vered that as fast as he brought to light a "basis" for his selection, he was informed, after some perfunctory investigation by the employees of the State Land

of obtaining it until I ascertain where it is for sale! The purpose of this ridiculous rule is to keep the rabble out of the p

lands worth fifty dollars per acre, in return for the trifling payment of one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre to the state and

ht to the public domain without the payment of a middleman's profit, rather aroused his admiration. At the time he was not financially equipped to argue the matter calmly, clearly-and judicially, and he had no money

ngled banner in

the free and the

nce, not, however, without first storing the inci

d not care to retain his grab, how he could nevertheless derive tremendous profits from his control of certain officials in the State Land Office. Therefore, after his day spent in the public law library in San Francisco, Bob's brain was primed with every detail of the land laws, and had confirmed his original interpretation of the

nd's failure of a son in a manner which bespoke forced heartiness, for old sake's sake, and a preconceived impression that th

rld have you been ranging since I saw you last?" Homer Dunstan was forcing an inter

ou know. It's my inheritance, Mr. Dunstan, despite all poor old dad did to make me follow in your footsteps.

this minute. Perh

legal advice, I'd like to take advantage of the ever-active present." He pulled from his hip pocket a tattered

ney, boy. I have an hour to spare this morning, and for your father's s

your word. Also I will gladly retain this century. To tell the truth I have urgent need of it for other things," and he followed

oy, what's on your

r. Dunstan. Desert land

wat

t y

prosp

, and it's all mine.

el

usand acres of state lieu land in

annot

first designate the basis of exchange before their applications would be received and filed. Suppose also that you w

to young fellows-or old fellows for that matter-even for money. I'm an honest cor

will not follow it. Tell me how you would st

n petard, as it were. However, I'll answer it. In the first place, if I planned to go into the business of looting

e instituted in the State Land Office. The state legislature, however, has never bee

o designate every basis of exchange of lost school lands for lieu lands, and the public would not. I'd give some weak brother say one hundred dollars to file on some lieu lands and use the basis which I would designate, and in the meantime I would hustle around, secure in the knowledge that I had the basis tied up. It would appear of record as used in the

thout designating the basis for the exchange of lands, and the surveyor-general has issued me a receipt for my preliminary payment of tw

idence of an implied contract of bargain and sale between you and the State of California. Yo

man, he is due to so bump in the very near future. However, Mr. Dunstan, I do not think our present surveyor-general is doing business with the land ring. I thin

he surveyor-general with you

er of designation of the basis-by claiming that their office force is not large enough to permit of such extended search of the records; hence they turn their records over to the applicant

entryman can abandon his filing at any time he may elect, and there is no law making it a felony to accept mone

et public lands illegally, and you ought to be able to scheme a plan to get them legally, operating on the state lieu land basis. I want thirty-two thousand acres of desert land and the law only allows me a selection of six hundred and forty. I want to get this thirty-two thousand a

e it cannot be done" he retorted sharply.

done-with a little

wn at the time of filing your application. Then you must place one-eighth of it under cultivation and produce a reasonably profitable crop. You must spend not less than, three dollars per acre in improvements, and convince the government that the entire tract, if not actu

e and generally irritating. Why, I'd have t

. 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 M

mply wasting your breath. Just what nebulous idea for the acquisition of this desert lan

et them filed and secure a receipt, when I will be in position to

aid Dunstan. "I thought they

it-and not knowing it, they wi

nobody, Robert. But proceed

ust pay for the land which they will

figured rapidl

fifty application

s " " " @

nt " " @ 20

_____

, $12

ing, for the sake of argument, that your filings

seventy-five, all right

u will have to put up $780 more for each section, or $3

s going to ask you

hat soft-headed, Bobby, and proc

n six months after filing. The surveyor-general must approve o

ot" promptly int

issioner of the General Land Office at Washington for his ratification of the e

e land ring wi

ob, brightening, "I'll have lots of time

money after all. Well, when you're an old man, Bobby, and that red he

an, lies in the fact that the land ring will readily as

for you to pay the balance due on them within, thirty days, and if at the end of thirty days you do not pay that $39,00

lend me $39,000 to call their bluff. I will assign you a half interest in a certain wat

ons passed to patent first, however. Then see me, and I'll lend you the money you require, p

've just fi

d you'll die poor. I am firmly convinced that you're honest, but as firmly convinced that you'r

d Bob desperately, and produced T. Morgan Carey's letter to

it's worth ten cent

come to for help; and I never ask help of any man, unless I can pay

nsane; but surely, Bob, you must admit that no sane man would seriously consider your proposition. Tell me how you expect to induce fifty paupers to apply

Bob McGraw dog

ut that trick over, Bob, and

r hat on your hea

nd I'll give it to y

s, or their equivalent, with a constitutional right to purchase state lieu land and permit me t

laughter. He pointed a b

it back, Bob, but the attorney-general will have a leg-iron on you before the ink is dry on your check. Transfer of title under such circumstances would be

uable consideration. I can beat that. I'll give my clients ten dollars per acre for lands which cost them one dollar and

expect to get $320,000 to buy their land from them? I suppose you think I'll help you with

39,000. The water I have bottled up in the Sierra will make the land worth three hundre

to waste their constitutional right to lieu land on your bare word that your water-right will

-cat prospect holes in Nevada. Do the promot

alified under the law to do anything except just live and try to avoid being run over by automobiles.

's query had brought him back from the land of improbabilities into the realm of his most ardent day-dream. He raised his hand in unconscious imitation of e

ient to light a city of a million inhabitants. I'm going to reclaim the desert and make it beautiful, and I'm going to have free light and free fuel and free local telephone service and free water and, by God! free people to live in my free country. I'm going to gather up a few thousand of the lowly and the hopele

ded Homer Du

hat we strong men should give of our strength to the weak? What in blue blazes are we living for in this enlightened day and generation if it isn't to do something that's worth while, and to leave behind us at the last something tha

t quarrel about it. Good luck to you, old man. Get all the fun out of life that you possibly can-in your own way-and when you g

ddenly, the old mocking cheerful inscrutable smile came sneaking back to his sun-tanned face, and he was at peace again. He had suddenly remembered that he was Bob McGraw, an

t yet begu