CHAPTER VIII
I
AT THE Peyton and Brainerd places things were rather prosperous, on the whole. Neither was involved in the boom. The Colonel did not understand such things, and was not interested: Brainerd's clever brain did understand them and was amused. Partly because of such economies as Allie managed to bring about, but principally because it was one of the few producing concerns in a country stricken with economic idleness, Corona del Monte was a little better than holding its head above the burden of its debt. It could not be expected to do more on mere economies and favourable times; for the fault lay deeper in the fact that its system was of the past. The Bungalow, on the other hand, was showing constantly increasing returns.
Kenneth Boyd, too, avoided being caught up by the boom. Beside the sardonic comment of Brainerd and the frank scepticism of the Colonel, the whole influence of his father was against his becoming in any way involved. Patrick Boyd saw too clearly that this must be only a flash in the pan; and he wished to avoid imbuing Kenneth with wrong habits of thought. Truth to tell little pressure was needed. Kenneth liked the life, with its open air, its open skies. He was intensely interested in what he was doing. He knew and was thoroughly in sympathy with every living creature with whom or with which he worked. In other words he fitted his environment.
The only troubling thought in his mind was the Corona del Monte. Of course he had not the faintest notion that Colonel Peyton was in any financial difficulties. As far as he knew the Rancho was bringing in its accustomed princely living. Only he saw so clearly that it might do better. The weekly "reports"
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