Two days before this, Harran had notified his superintendents on Three and Four to send in such grain as they had reserved for seed.

On Two the wheat had not even shown itself above the ground, while on One, the Home ranch, which was under his own immediate supervision, the seed had already been graded and selected.
It was Harran's intention to commence blue-stoning his seed that day, a delicate and important process which prevented rust and smut appearing in the crop when the wheat should come up.

But, furthermore, he wanted to find time to go to Guadalajara to meet the Governor on the morning train.

His day promised to be busy.
But as Harran was finishing his last cup of coffee, Phelps, the foreman on the Home ranch, who also looked after the storage barns where the seed was kept, presented himself, cap in hand, on the back porch by the kitchen door.
"I thought I'd speak to you about the seed from Four, sir," he said.
"That hasn't been brought in yet." Harran nodded.
"I'll see about it.

You've got all the blue-stone you want, have you, Phelps ?" and without waiting for an answer he added, "Tell the stableman I shall want the team about nine o'clock to go to Guadalajara.