Part 21 (1/2)

”If you mean business, let's get acquainted,” he said. ”My front name is Kent.”

”Well, Kent, let's get busy,” smiled Sanderson. ”You go to work on your estimates, order your material, hire your men. I'll see how bad the people in the basin want the water they've been expectin'.”

Kent Williams took up his quarters in the bunkhouse and immediately began work, though before he could do much he rode to Okar, telegraphed to Dry Bottom, the town which had been the scene of his previous activity, and awaited the arrival of several capable-looking young men.

In company with the latter he returned to the Double A, and for many days thereafter he and his men ran the transit and drove stakes in the basin and along the gorge.

Sanderson spent much of his time talking with the cattlemen in the basin. They were all eager to have water brought to their ranches, for it would save them the long trip to the river, which was inaccessible in many places, and they welcomed the new project.

0ne of the men--a newcomer to the basin--voiced the general sentiment.

”We want water, an' we don't give a d.a.m.n who brings it here. First come, first served!”

The big problem to Sanderson, however, was the question of money. He was aware that a vast sum would be required. Nearly all the money he possessed would be sunk in the preliminary work, and he knew that if the work was to go on he must borrow money.

He couldn't get money in Okar, he knew that.

He rode to Lazette and talked with a banker there. The latter was interested, but unwilling to lend.

”The Okar Basin,” he said. ”Yes, I've heard about it. Great prospects there. But I've been told that Silverthorn and Maison are going to put it through, and until I hear from them, I shouldn't like to interfere.”

”That gang won't touch the Double A water!” declared Sanderson. ”I'll see the basin scorched to a cinder before I'll let them in on the deal!”

The banker smiled. ”You are ent.i.tled to the water, of course; and I admire your grit. But those men are powerful. I have to depend on them a great deal. So you can see that I couldn't do anything without first consulting them.”

Sanderson left Lazette in disgust. It was not until after he had tried in Dry Bottom and Las Vegas that he realized how subtle and far-reaching was the power and influence of the financial rulers of Okar.

”We should like to let you have the money,” the Las Vegas banker told him. ”But, unfortunately, a loan to you would conflict with our interests in Okar. We know the big men in Okar have been considering the water question in the basin, and we should not like to antagonize them.”

The trip consumed two weeks, and Sanderson returned to the Double A to discover that during his absence very little work had been done.

”It looks like we're up against it,” Williams informed him when pressed for an explanation. ”We can't get a pound of material. I went personally to Okar and was told by Silverthorn that the railroad would accept no material consigned to the Double A ranch.”

”Pretty raw,” was Sanderson's only comment.

”Raw? It's rotten!” declared Williams. ”There's plenty of the kind of material we want in Lazette. To get it here would mean a fifty-mile haul. I can get teams and wagons in Lazette,” he added, an eager note in his voice.

”Go to it,” said Sanderson.

Williams smiled admiringly. ”You're game, Mr. Man,” he said; ”it's a pleasure to work for you!”

However, it was not courage that impelled Sanderson to accept the hazard and expense of the fifty-mile haul. In his mind during the days he had been trying to borrow money had been a picture of the defeat that was ahead of him if he did not succeed; he could imagine the malicious satisfaction with which his three enemies would discuss his failure.

Inwardly, Sanderson was writhing with impatience and consumed with an eagerness to get into personal contact with his enemies, the pa.s.sion to triumph had gripped his soul, and a contempt for the sort of law in which Okar dealt had grown upon him until the contemplation of it had aroused in him a savage humor.

Okar's law was not law at all; it was a convenience under which his three enemies could a.s.sail the property rights of others.

Outwardly, Sanderson was a smiling optimist. To Mary Bransford he confided that all was going well.

Neither had broached the subject of Sanderson's impersonation since the night of Dale's visit. It was a matter which certain thoughts made embarra.s.sing for Mary, and Sanderson was satisfied to keep silent.