Part 27 (2/2)
”How'd you come out?” inquired Bob.
”Got one. He handed over his first payment on the spot. Funny how these yahoos almost always bring their cash right with 'em. Other's no good. I get so I can spot that kind the first three words. They're always too blame enthusiastic about the country and the Company. Seems like they try to pay for their entertainment by jollying us along. Don't fool me any. When a man begins to object to things, you know he's thinking of buying.”
Bob listened to this wisdom with some amus.e.m.e.nt. ”How'd you explain when the stream stopped?” he asked.
”Why,” said Selwyn, looking straight ahead, ”didn't you hear Mr. Oldham?
They turned the water into the Upper Ditch to irrigate the Foothill Tracts.”
Bob laughed. ”You're not much of a liar, Selwyn,” he said pleasantly.
”Failure of gasoline would hit it nearer.”
”Oh, that's where you went,” said Selwyn. ”I ought to have kept my eye on you closer.”
He fell silent, and Bob eyed him speculatively. He liked the young fellow's clear, frank cast of countenance.
”Look here, Selwyn,” he broke out, ”do you like this bunco game?”
”I don't like the methods,” replied Selwyn promptly; ”but you are mistaken when you think it's a bunco game. The land is good; there's plenty of artesian water to be had; and we don't sell at a fancy price.
We've located over eight hundred families up there at Lucky Lands, and three out of four are making good. The fourth simply hadn't the capital to hold out until returns came in. It's as good a small-ranch proposition as they could find. If I didn't think so, I wouldn't be in it for a minute.”
”How about that stream?”
”n.o.body said the stream was a natural one. And the water exists, no matter where it comes from. You can't impress an Eastern farmer with a pump proposition: that's a matter of education. They come to see its value after they've tried it.”
”But your--”.
”I told you I didn't like the methods. I won't have anything to do with the dirty work, and Oldham knows it.”
”Why all the bluff, then?” asked Bob.
”There are thousands of real estate firms in Los Angeles trying to sell millions of acres,” said Selwyn, ”and this is about the only concern that succeeds in colonizing on a large scale. Oldham developed this system, and it seems to work.”
”The law'll get him some day.”
”I think not,” replied Selwyn. ”You may find him close to the edge of the law, but he never steps over. He's a mighty bright business man, and he's made a heap of money.”
When nearing the Arcade depot, Oldham himself stepped forward.
”Stopping in California long?” he asked, with some approach to geniality.
”Permanently, I think,” replied Bob.
”You are going to manufacture your timber?”
Bob looked up astonished.
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