a half to one
Is there anybody present who remembers a prayer or who can sing a hymn ? '' Kay 's adorable face twitched as she suppressed a chuckle at her father 's expense , but now that Parker was being assailed by all three , his loyal wife decided to protect him . `` Well , Johnny 's a shrewd gambler after all , '' she declared . `` If you do not redeem the ranch , he will get odds of two and a half to one on his million-dollar bet and clean up in a year . With water on the lands of the San Gregorio , Okada 's people will pay five hundred dollars an acre cash for the fifty thousand acres . '' `` I grant you that , Mrs. Parker , but in the meantime he will have increased tremendously the value of all of my land in the San Gregorio valley , and what is to prevent me , nine months from now , from floating a new loan rather handily , by reason of that increased valuation , paying off Mr. Parker 's mortgage and garnering for myself that two and a half million dollars ' profit you speak of ? '' `` I fear you will have to excuse us from relishing the prospect of that joke , Don Mike , '' Kay murmured .