THE DAILY CAPITAL JOURNAL, SALEM. OREGON, SATURDAY, MARCH 15, 1919.
V . iv X
' -7 - v
V)
e-f.'i 'V'.iulkV
rfdeti to wait for fhe"duwn.X matched
Bleep first, but who would call her?
She would sleep for hours, so weary
Wry muscle. ITor mind fixed on Sam
m the only nian la town who had
time to saddle b horse for a woman.
She went In search of him. She
found Unit the long adobe office build
ing had already tuken on the look of
defeat, of ruin. The casements had
'been torn from the partitions ; the
!dcrs and windows were out. The fur
wlture hud been hauled up to high
ground farther, away for safety. She
.went , limiting through the ghoulish
Rickard Was With Her $leter.n.law.
gloom for the flnrky, turning her lan
tern In every dark corner. She know
that she would find him sleeping.
Tlien she heard steps on the veranda.
Blie ran toward them, expecting to see
yum. She swung her lantern full on
two figures mounting the shallow
steps. Klckard was with her sister-in-law.
' , '
"Oh, excuse me 1" she blurted blun
deringly. Of course Certy would take
n wrong Intention from the stupid
words I . . .. t
The blue eyes met those of limes
with defiance. It was as though she
had hpiiUvn : "Well, think what yon
will r... It, you Hnrdlnsl I don't care
whit yon thUik pf me!" .
What Indent (lid she think of It?
Why I'liniilil Sim lee! like the culprit
befTs thorn; two, her words dosert-lii-;
h.iT; t' vis (lefty's look that
-mi !e l-ti 'n'ilt", ns though she
had been spying. To meet them to
gether, hero nt mmuignt, wny snoum
not they feci ashamed? She had done
nothing wrong. And Tom down yon
der lighting and they make his ab
sence a cover for their rendezvous.
"I'm looking for Sam !" The effort
behind the words turned them Into an
oratorical challenge.
"So are we. I want to send him
home with Mrs. Hardin. She's worn
out." .
"She can go home with roe. I am go
ing directly. As soon as I glvo a mes
snge to Sain." She Instantly regretted
her wordH, abruptly halting. It came
to her that Rlckard would Insist upon
delivering her message. Of course, he
would oppose her going. Some petty
ufcmi iilhup filia linoiv fmm thn
men that he was oppositional, that he
. liked to show his power. Not safe, he
would say, or the horso was needed,
or Sam too busy to wait on her I
"Yon cannot go home alone, you
two. The town Is full of strange In
' dliins. Cllve me your lantern, Mlas
Itiu-illii' I'll runt out tli i I ilnrkv."
neueiuousiy sat) kuyo iiiiu uio iuii-
fern. The light turned run on nor
averted angry eyes.
A haughty Thusuelda followed him.
Sam was discovered asleep In the
nulu n h .Ki. ..I .wl, .ia hail .in.
viii iuviii n iicib ,im niuuvna huu i.e.
yet Dcen n( lacked, ms neaa rcstea on
a buudle of sacked trees which the
ladles of the Improvement club had
planned to plant the next day. Deep
snores betrayed his refuge.
"Here, Sam! I want yon to take
these ladies home. Chase yourself.
They've been working white you've
slept. I thought you'd have all these
windows out by now.
; Gerfv had to supply the courtesy for
two. fctie told Mr. Klckard In her ap
pealing way that he had been very
Mud; that she "would have been
frightened to death to go homo alone."
'.Tunes had to say something I "flood
night I" The words had an insulting
ring, v; , ;. ',
The wind covered a passionate si
lence, as the two women, followed by
Sum, yawning and stretching, made
their way down fte shrieking street.
"! f. ww rie was, thjufclire Sto
. II l V AM
wife
'if in s'r ...
WNM
AIKEN
had (It last stumbled on the rout, TuTt
It was not a matter of personal, but
moral untidiness; not a carelessness
of pins or plates, of tapes or dishes. It
was far worse; a slackness of ethics.
It meant more unhapplness for Tom.
Her aching muscles told her that
she could not have slept four hours
when the -darky was back, knocking at
her door.
In nes horse loped through the
silent streets.
"I'll run past the levee ; perhaps
Tom has come back." It occurred to
her that there might be a message at
the hotel. She pulled on her left rein,
and swept past the deserted adobe.
As she reined In her horse, Bickard
stepped out oi the sidewalk. He, too,
was heavy-eyed from a snatched nap.
"Were you lookh for me?"
The scorn In the girl's face told him
that his Question was stupid. For
him!
"Has my brother come back?" '
no said he did not know. "You can
see I have been dreaming !" She would
not smile back at him, but rode oft
toward the levee.
Was this the river? West of the
levee, a sea of muddy water spread
over the land. There was yet a chance
to save the towns, the town, she cor
rected herself, as her eye fell on the
Mexican village across the ditch. For
Mexican was doomed. Some of the
mud huts had already fallen ; the wa
ter was runulng close to the station
house,
She saw Wooster- standing near, cal
culating the distance, the time, per
haps, before the new stntlon would go.
She hailed Wooster. Ruin was pre
saged In tho lines of his forehead.
'Trctty bad?" she, cried.
Ho shook his head.
"Is Tom back?" '
"He's over there, now. Fighting like
all possessed. He'll work till he
drops." Wooster was proud of that
method. '
"We all know Tom I" Her pride
sprang up. "But he's got to stop for
a while. I'm going up after him."
"Not if thy name's Wooster. I'll go.
He'll mind me."
Sho watched the flowing river, swol
len with wreckage. ' She saw, with
comprehension, u section of a fence;
somebody's crop gone. There was a
railway tie, another I The river was
eating up Estrada's new roadbed? A
cry broke from her as a mesqult on
the coffee-colored tide caught on a
burled snag. The current swirled dan
gerously around it.. Instantly, the wa
ter rose toward the top of the levee.
Men came running to pry away the
tree. A minute later, It was dancing
down., the stream. They raised the
bank against the pressing lapping
waves. There, the tree had struck
again. They ran down the levee with
their long poles. Each time thut hap
pened, unless tho obstruction were
swiftly dislodged, she knew It meant
an artificial fall somewhere, a quick
scouring out of the channel. The men
were working like silent parts of a big
machine; the confusion of the first
night was gone. From their faces one
would not guess that their fortunes,
their homes, hung on the subduing of
that Indomitable force which had not
yet known defeat, which had turned
back explorer and conquistador. Ah,
there was the lurklug fear of it ! Vic
tory still lay to Its credit; the other
column was blank.
She saw Wooster coming toward
her. His snapping black eyes shot out
sparks of anger.
"He won't let me go."
"Who won't let you?" But she knew.
"Casey Says he'll send some one
else, I said as nobody else'd make
Hardin stop. He said as that was up
to Uurdln."
Of course, he wouldn't let Wooster
go!
"Orders me to bed," spat Wooster.
"Wonder why he didn't order gruel,
too. It's spite, autagoulsm to Hardin,
that's what It 1st" She believed that,
too. Tom was right Rlckard did take
advantage of his authority.
She did not see Itlckard until be
stood by her side.
"I'm sorry not to spare Wooster,
Miss Hardin. But there's stiff work
ahead. He's got to be ready for a call.
If Hardin Insists on spoiling one good
soldier, that's his affair, I can't let
htm spoil two," .
. Wooster shrugged, and left them.
"Spoiling" good soldiers 1"
"I've taken Bodefeldt off duty. I
told him to relieve Hardin."
liodet'eldt who blushed when anyone
looked at him ! He would be about as
persuasive to Tom as a veil to a des
ert wind ! She turned away, but not
before Itlckard saw again that trans
forming auger. Her eyes shone like
topazes la sunlight She would not
trust herself to speak. Wooster was
waiting for her. Rkkard could hear
the man repeat "I'm sorry. Miss Har
did. It's an outrage. That' what it
"Orders Me to Bed."
" Queer, they couldn't see that It was
Hardin's fault; Hardin who was up
the river fighting like a melodramatic
hero; fighting without caution or re
serve, demoralizing discipline; ho
couldn't help admiring the bulldog en
ergy, himself. That was what all these
men adored. He'd clenched the girl's
antagonism, now, for sure! How her
eyes had flashed jit him I
Hello! There was a tree floating
down toward the station house. , . .
"Bring your poles I" he yelled.
CHAPTER XVIII.
The Passing of the Waters.
Babcock came rushing down from
Los Angeles that morning to see what
in thunder it was all about. He asked
every one he met why some one didn't
get busy and stop the cutting back of
that river? There was no one at the
offices of the company to report to
him 1 Why, the building was desert
ed. Ogiivte's letters had prophesied
ruin. It all looked wrong to him. Go
ing on to the levee, he met MitcLenn,
Jr., who was coming away. The boy
told him vaguely that he would find
Itlckard around there, somewhere.
. "I'll hunt him up for you."
. "Why, they are letting it get ahead
of them I" Bubcock's manuer sug
gested that he was aggrieved that such
carelessness to his revered company
should go unpunished. Something, he
told MacLenn, might hnve been done
before the situation got as bad as
this!
His excited stride carried him
across the dividing ditch, which now
wfls carrying no water, into Mexican.
MacLean had to lengthen his step to
keep pace with him. The havoc done
to the Mexican village excited Bab
cock still more.
Estrada, just In from his submerged
tracks, was lounging against an adobe
wall. His pensive gaze was turned
up-stream. The posture of exhaustion
suggested laziness to Babcock, who
was on tho hunt for responsibility. He
was more than ever convinced that
the right thing was not being done.
"Estrada!" ,
Estrada took his eyes from the river.
Babcock looked like a snapping ter
rier taking the ditch nt a bound. Mac
Lean. Jr., a lithe greyhound, followed.
"What the devil are you dolug to
stop this?" A nervous hand Indicated
the Mexican station gleaming In its
fresh coat of paint ; to the muddy wa
ter undermining Its foundation.
Estrada drew a cigarette out of his
pocket ; lighted It before answering.
"Not a thing. What do you sug
gest?" A big wave struck the bank. The
car on the siding trembled.
"Another wave like that and that
car'll go over," cried Babcock, Jump
ing, mad. "Why don't you do some
thing? Why don't you hustle all of
you?" He would report this Incompe
tency. Down the stream came a mass of
debris, broken timbers, ravaged" brush,
a wrenched fence post, a chicken coop.
A red hen, clinging to its swaying
ship, took the rapids.
"Hustle what?" murmured E'
trada.
Babcock glared at him, then at the
river. His eye caught the approach
ing w"ckage. Men came runulng
with their poles. The caving bank was
too far gone. The Instant the drift
ing mass struck it, there was a shud
der of falling earth, the car toppled
toward the flood waters, the waves
breaking Into clouds of spray.
Human responsibility fell to a cipher.
The river's might was magnificent.
Even Babcock, come to carp, caught
the excitement "Come, MacLean,''
he cried. "Watch this! The station's
going!" He Joined Estrada by the
adobe wall. '
"Have a cigarette V murmured
Eduardo, ' ' . .
His eyes glued to the lurching station-house,
Babcock -took a brown
paper-rolled cigarette from the prof
fered box.
"Look," he cried. "There, she'll go.
See that"
There was a splash of splintering
timber; a Niagara of spray as the
building fell into the flood. A minute
later, a wreckage of painted boards
was floating downstream.
At table Babcock resumed his cam
paign. "The trouble with you all.
you hnve cold feet You're all scared
off too soon." .:
Wooster, up from his nap, looked
across the table. "Cold feet? So
you'd have- If you had been op for
njehtsw aretUBS SSffi". feel.ojtJJiflJfiSsek
as"sonie of us have, a Hardin has.
Mine are cold all right" He lifted an
amazed ' foot "Cold ! Look here,
boys, they're wet!" The men looked
to find the water creeping la Bab
cock climbed on his chair.
"This means' the station," cried
Wooster. Every man Jumped. If the
waters had got to them, it wouldn't
Lbe long before they were reaching the
u. t aepotl Tne traces would go
They were piling out of the door
when the telephone caught them. It
was a message 'from Rlckard. A car
was to be rigged tip, papers, tickets
and express matter taken from the
station. The river was cutting close
to the track. The car would be the
terminal, a half-mile from town.
The situation looked black. Coul
ter, Eggcrs, began to pack their stock.
The levee. It was said, would not hold
half of Mexican was gone. Calexlco
would go next. Rlckard's Indians
were kept stolidly piling brush and
stuffed sacks on the levee. This, the,
word ran, would be the fierce night
no one expected to sleep.
They were preparing for the big
battle, the final struggle, when "the
grade recession passed the. town
Spectacular as was its coming, there
was an anticlimax in Its retreat. The
water reached the platform of the
depot, and halted. The town held Its
breath. There was some sleep that
night . . -
The next day, the nerves of the val
ley relaxed. The river was not cut
ting back. The men at the levee
dropped their shovels, and went back
to the discussion of their lawsuits.
Tbelr crops were ruined; too much
water, or too little. Whatever way
they had 6een hurt, the company
would have to pay for it !
A small shift guarded the river.
Rlckard,. In his room at the Desert
hotel, and Hardin up the river, slept a
day and a night without waking. The
chnir-tllters picked up their argument
where they had left it; was the rail
road reaping a harvest of damage
suits when they should be thanked
iustend?, Faraday, the newspapers
reported; was trying to shift his re
sponsibility; he had appealed to the
president Their correspondence waa
The Ranches Were Ruined.
published. The government was in no
hurry to take the burden. A tele
graphic sermon, preaching duty, dis
tributing blame, was sent from Wash
ington. 'Perhaps not Faraday himself
wnswnore disturbed than the debaters
of the Desert hotel.
. "The railroad's no Infant in arms!
It wasn't asleep when It took over
the affairs of the P. R." Here spoke
the majority. "A benefaction I It
wns self-interest I When the river is
hnrnessed, who'll profit the most from
the valley prosperity? It can afford
to pay, the obligations; that is, It
could. It will find a way," the ravens
croaked, "of shaking the Desert Re
clamation company's debts; of evad
ing the , damage suits. Look how
Hardin was treated!"
The feeling ran higher. For many
of the ranchers were ruined; there
was no money to put in the next
year's crop unless the promises of the
irrigation company were kept. A
few landowners, and others who had
not completed their contracts, dis
trusting the good faith of the ; com
pany, or its ability to pay, had "quit"
In disgust, to begin again some
where else. Parrish, and Dowker,
and others of the "Sixth" scoured dis
trict had; secured the promise of em
ployment at the Heading. Work, it
was expected, would be begun at once
now that the danger to Calexlco had
passed. ' -
CHAPTER XIX.
More Oratory.
Four men sat at a small table In a
corner of the crowded hotel dining
room, In El Centro. Their names
made their corner the psychological
center of the room. Marshall was al
ways a target of speculation. Mac
Lean, straight and soldierly In his
mustard-colored clothes, was, as usual,
the 'man of distinction. Black start
ed the whisper going that the dark
stranger was General de la Tega, the
Mexican commissioner. :.. . .
What was he doing In that group?
Babcock' completed a combination
which encouraged speculations and
head-shakings. The room was Jammed
with valley men. The meeting of the
ranchers. and the several water com
panies bad been, called for that after
noon, the summons. signed by Fara
to himself.. , Nothlneslse h&d been
talked of for a fortnight " "
It was known throughout the Talley
that the work at the intake was not
yet begun; that Rlckard was Malting
there for orders; that Faraday and
the president of the United States
were Involved in correspondence as to
the responsibility for the. future con
trol of the river. Faraday's eagerness
to shift his burden was looked upon
as suspicious. It was in the air that
the officers of the Overland Pacific
would demand a recall of the damage
suits before they would complete the
protective works at the Heading. The
men of long vision, members of the
water companies, and Brandon,
through the valley Star, were pointing
out that the valley's salvation depend
ed on the Immediate control of the
river; that the railroad, only, had
power to effect it These conservatives
were, counseling caution. . Only that
morning, the Star had issued an extra,
a special edition pleading for co-operation.
"If the river breaks out again,"
warned Brandon's editorial, "without
Immediate force to restrain it, recla
mation for that valley Is a dream that
is done. . And the only force equal to
that emergency Is the railroad. Why
deliberately antagonize the rtntroad?
The Desert Reclamation company, It
is well known, is bankrupt. For the
Instant the railroad has assumed the
responsibilities of the smaller organi
zation. Apply the same situation to
individuals. Suppose a private citizen
is in straits, and another comes for
ward to help him. Must every cred
itor assume that the Samaritan should
pay the crushed citizen's bills? In the
present Issue, self-interest should urge
consideration. Better a small loss
today that tomorrow may amply re
fund, than total ruin in the future."
Hardin, from his morose unshared
table, could see the anxious curiosity
setting toward the railroad group.
Over glasses, heads were close to
gether. Near him, the talk ran high.
Scraps of Inflammable speeches blew
his way from Barton's party.
Hardin's mouth wore a set sneer.
"Water company talk I" Black was
haranguing his comrades. "Stand out
against them. Don't let them bluff
you. Murshall will try to bluff you.
Stand together!" Barton's resonant
organ broke through the clatter.
"Marshall Is not going to bluff us."
Grace and Black began to talk at once.
Hardin's lip grew rougher. Where had
they all been if it had not been for
him? Why, he'd pulled them from
their little farms back East, where
they were toiling where they'd be
tolling yet. They'd had the vision of
sudden wealth they hadn't the grit
to work for it, to wait for it ! How
many years had he been struggling?
He was a young man when he'd gone
Into this thing, and he was old now,
. Coffee and cigars had been
reached of the midday dinner. Bab
cock was nervously consulting his
wntch. "Shouldn't ' we . arrange the
meeting?" he asked for the third time.
The social and casual air of the meet
ing had teased him. What had the po
litical situation in Mexico to do with
the Important session confronting
them? His fussy soul had no polite
salons ; office rooms every one of
them. MacLean looked to Tod Mar
shall to answer.
"I think it will arrange itself." His
voice was silken. "It is to be a dis
cussion, a conference. You can't slate
that"
"We could program," began Bab
cock, looking at his watch again.
"I don't think we'll have to." Mar
shall smiled across the" table. -, "You'll
find this meeting will run itself. There
is "not a man here who is not burning
to speak. Look at them now ! Drop
a paper in that crowd, and see the
blaze you'd get! You can open the
meeting, Mr, Babcock, and I would
,suggest that you call on Mr. De la
Vega first."'
The eyes of. the dining room fol
lowed the party as they filed past the
buzzing tables. Faraday was not In
town; Marshall represented that pow
er. As he walked out, bowing right
and left, his right hand occasionally
extended In his well-known oratorical,
courteous gesture. His black tie was
stringing down his shirt front; his
black clothes were Jhe worse for his
lunch. But no one, save the Eastern
girls, saw spots or tie. The future of
that valley lay In that man's hnnd, no
matter how Black or Grace might
harangue. In- five minutes, the dining
room wns emptied.'
As snow gently falling, had gath
ered the first 'damage suits of the
ranchers. The last flood had precipi
tated a temperamental storm. Men
were suing for the possible values of
their ..farms... Impossible values of
crops. Not alone the companies had
been blanketed with the accusing pa
pers, but against Mexico the white
drifts had plied up. Mexico! No one
knew better than Hardin how absurd
It was to accuse the sister country of
responsibility. A pretty pickle they
were in I Where was it all going to
endt .
In the lobby, Hardin ran up against
Brandon, who was following a news
scent Through the valley It was being
rumored that subscriptions were to be
asked for the completion of the work.
If this were the intention, there would
be a hot meeting.
"You are going on the platform?"
assumed the newspaper man. "No J
Then will you sit with me?"
"If you will sit upstairs," scowled
Hardin, "I don't want to be dragged
onto the platform."
Down in the orchestra, Black, from
the Wistaria was haranguing a group
of gesticulating ranchers. Phrases
climbed to the men on the balcony
seats. "Keep their pledges. Promise
makers. Let them look at our crops 1"
"If Marshall expects to coerea
those men, I lose my guesa. Then he's
OIL, ln!lsj2f men,; . ("ted Hardin.
took aT those faces." The floor was
a sea of Impassioned features.
"Something's going to drop," echoed
Brandon.
From the wings. Babcock's Inquisi
tive glasses were seen to sweep the
house. Hardin could catch, the sum
mons of an excited forefinger to the
group unseen. There wad a minute
of delay. Then Babcock's nervous
toddle carried him onto the stage.
De la Vega followed Babcock.
There was a hush of curiosity. The
house did not know who he was. Be
hind him, soldierly, stiff, stalked Mac
Lean. Marshall's, entrance released
the tongues. There was nn Interval
of confusion on the stage.' Babcock,
like a restless terrier, was snapping
at the heels of the party. At last
they were all fussily seated. De la
Vega was given the place of iionor.
Marshall, Babcock put on his left
MacLean on the right
Babcock raised his staccato gavel.
A hush fell on the house. His words
were clipped and sharp.
"Tou have left your plowing to come
here. You are anxious to hear what
we have to say to you. You cannot
afford to be Indifferent to It. You ac
knowledge, by your presence, a de
pendence, a correlation which you
would like to deny. Irrigation means
co-operation, suffering together, strug
gling together, succeeding together.
You prefer the old individual way,
each man for himself. I tell you it
won't do. You belong In other coun
tries, the countries of old-fashioned
rain. You want to hear what we have
to say to you, the company who saved
the valley, the company you are suing.
But you have also suits against Mex
ico. There Is a gentleman here who
has a message from Mexico about
those suits. I have the honor, gentle
men, to introduce, Senor de la Vegu."
"Ladles," bowed the Mexican. "Gen
tlemen, Mr. Chairman. It Is with an
appreciation of the honor that I ac
cepted for today the invitation of Mr.
Marshall to speak before you, to speak
to you; I must tell you first my
thought as I sat there and looked at
you, the youth, the flower of the Amer
ican people. A few years ago, we
were calling this the great Colorado
desert; now, the world calls it the
hothouse of America. This theater
Is built over the bones of gold-seekers,
who dnred death in this dreaded
desert to find what was buried in
those mountains beyond. The man,
I say, who crossed this desert, took
the hoeard of death. It was a coun
tryman of mine who piloted, fifteen
years ago, a little band of men, across
the desert. Perhaps he camped on
this very spot. It Is not impossible!
It is here, perhaps, that - he got his
inspiration. .He saw a wonderful ter
ritory ; he dreamed to quicken It with
the useless waters of the Colorado.
You will all agree that it was Gull
lermo Estrada who dreamed the dream
that has come true; that it was
through him that some of your coun
trymen secured their privilege to re
claim this land, Later, when one of your
countrymen found he could not fulfill
his promise to you, the promise t& de
liver water to your ranches, he came
to my nation and got permission to cut
into the river on our territory. Most
gladly " did Porflrlo Diaz grant that
privilege. For that, today, you are
mtnc htm This T nm tnH la vihi
! 1-ll.
cuuiyiuiui.
His abrupt pause betrayed a con
fused murmur of voices. De la Vega's
polite ear tried to differentiate the
phrases. There was a Jumble of sound.
De la Vega looked inquiringly at Bab
cock, who waved him on. .
"It has nothing to do with the his
tory, but I would like to say in passing
that so assured were your people of
our freadly feeling toward you that
they did not wait to receive permis
sion from Mexico to make the cut.
Your people were In a hurry. Your
crops were In danger. First the lack
of water, then too much water dam
aged your valley. , A few acres "
A voice from the crowd cried out,
"A few acres? Thqusands of acres."
Instantly others were on their feet'
"Thousands of acres. Ruin." One man
was shouting himself apoplectic.
Babcock's gavel sounded a sharp
staccato on the table.
"Thousands of. acres." De la Vega
was unruffled. "And more than that. ,
rhe valley, It must be remembered,
loes not stop at the line. Mexican .
lands, too, have been scoured by the
iction, the result of the action of vour
Irrigation company. It was a mutual." j
he paused, and a quaint word came to
his need. "A mutual bereavement It
did not occur to us to accuse you of
our troubles. Your damage suits pained
and astonished us. But they gave us
also a suggestion."
The rustling and the murmurs sud
denly ceased. A prescient hush wait
ed on De la Vega. "You have been ad
vised to sue us. To sue us for giving
yon that concession. Therefore, the
only answer is for us to withdraw that
concession ! You acense us, for giv
ing it to you. That concession is val
uable. What else can we do? Before
! your damage suits were Died, we were
approached by others for the same
privilege. K you do not withdraw
your suits, my nation sends word to
yop that you may not take water from
the Colorado river through Mexican
soil. ; You will not be without water
probably long; I have said that con
cession is valuable! Other arrange
ments will probably be made so that
the valley will be given water. I would
like to take your answer to my govern
ment" It was several seconds before the
house got its breath. The import of
the diplomat's words wns astounding.
Barton got to his feet, yelling with his
'great bass voice, "Betrayed!" His
shrunken finger indicated a youth with
R- .S," in black letters on. his collar.
"The valley has been betrayed."
In the balcony, the uproar was deaf
ening. Around Hardin and Brandon
words were thudding like bullets.
"Reclamation Service." "That's their
game." "The concession!" "They
won't get It" "Betrayed. We are be
trayed." Downstairs, Babcock's gavel rapped
unheard. Behind the excited figure
wielding the stick, eat Marshall, his
unreadable, sweet .smile on his face.
His eyes were on Babcock, who was
vainly clamoring for order. "Program
that meeting."
Hollister was trying to make him
self heard to Barton over two rows of
seats, but his voice was like a child's
on an ocean' beach. Barton was sur
rounded by eager anxious men. The
audience had split into circles of
haranguing centers. It was Impossible
to get attention. Hardin could see Mar-
shall pull Babcock by the tails of his
coat Unwillingly, he could see Bab
cock allow the crowd five minutes bys
his consulted watch. Then again, the
gavel danced on the table. Marshall
was still smiling. Babcock's . shrill
voice split the din. "Order."? The
ocean of voices swallowed him again.
JWe won't let tlfera In," Grace was
bellowing, "the valley won't stand for
It."
Take your medicine," thundered
the big organ of Barton. "I warned
you, Imperial valley."
"Betrayal," groaned the crowd.
Down in the orchestra, Barton was
holding a hurry-up meeting of the wa
tej companies. De la Vega had
stepped back and was consulting with
Tod Marshall.
Babcock pulled out his watch, his
gavel calling for attention. This time
he was heard.
De la Vega approached the foot
lights, a questioning look on his face.
"We ask for a little time," began -
Barton. Instantly the house was on
Its feet. "Withdraw the suits. Give
him your answer. Give him our nn- .
swer. We don't want the Service. The
valley don't want the Service. With
draw the suits."
Barton's moon face looked troubled.
"We can't answer for all the ranchers."
"Yes, you can," screamed Grace,
Jumping up and down like a baboon,
"If you don't, I'll answer for them.
Don't you see. It's a trick? It's a
trick. I see the' hand of the O. P. In
this." Friendly hands pulled him down
Into his seat
Theaudlcnce was chanting. "Wlth
Sraw the suits. Take your medicine.
Don't lose the concession. Lord,
the Service! Give them tho answer
sow." ,
Barton held up a' withered hand.
The undeveloped body was dignified
by tho splendid head. "Don't with
draw your concession. I think I can
say that Mexico will not be sued."
Again, the shout went up. "Answer
like a man. Think ! Good Lord ! Say
we withdraw the suits!"
"We withdraw the claims ngalnst
Mexico." Barton sat down to a sud
den hush. The first blood had been
let.
Once more Babcock's glasses swept
the house. He rapped the table.
"That's not all. We've got more to
say to you. Gentlemen, Mr. Marshall."
Marshall stepped forward to a si
lence which was a variety of tribute.
He bowed. "I will be brief. Mr.
Faraday has asked me to take his .
place here this afternoon. It's only
fair. If it, were not for my interfer
ence, he would not be involved in tlil3
situation. I think you will grant that
It is Mr. Faraday's company which
can save'the valley?" ' r
"To save Its own tracks!" yelled
voice from the balcony.
Marshall sent a soft srallo heaven
ward.' "Incidentally. And its trafiic.
Why don't you say it? We don't deny
mat. xne uveriana i'acinc s no aara
ist."
There was a Jeer which rose into a
chorus. "Altruist! Octopus. That's
what it is." : ' ' f
Marshall's hand went up. "If you
want to hear me?" He waved away
Babcock's descending gavel. "I was
told It would cost two hundred thou
sand dollars to close that break of
yours. Do you want the actual fig
ures? It has eaten already a million,
and the work. Is, not yefdone. You
know the history of the undertaking.
The Desert Reclamation company was
in straits. Faraday promised his help
on the comlitieto that the, affairs of
Tie . Desert Reclamation .company
would be controlled by' his company.
He took the control. He Inherited
what? Not good will. Threats, dam
age snlts. Do you think Jhat snow
slide of complaints is going to encour
age him to go on? This is what I came
here to talk to you about You mneh
ers don't want to cut your own throats.
Now, there's a good, deal going on
about which you are in the dark.
F'araday's got n right to feel he's
shouldered an old man of the sea.
He's been trying to dislodge it He's
upiwmea to tno presiaent.- Ever since
we came into this, the cry from Wnsii-
Ington has been, 'Do this the way we
lllra m w,a1I ha . .. I. I . .
hands.'. A murmur of angry voices ' "
started , somewhere, swelling toward
the balcony. , . :
"We don't want the government "
began the rising voices. Marshall's
voice rang out : , . '
"But . the eovernment wants von !
Unless you will help save your own
homes, the government will have to, in
time. It's got to. Up there at Laguna,
have you seen it? There's nothing go
ing on. They're watching as. That's a
useless toy if our works are washed
out Faraday says this to you? Not
a sound In the stilled house. "Unless '
jyou withdraw your damage suits, he
Wont advance another damned cent."
(Continued next Saturday) -