for me to realize after
knowing him that an Irishman can be doing the dirty work you are. But I
suppose Ireland must breed men like you or Tammany would die."

Murphy hitched from one foot to the other. Jim went on in his quiet,
slow way.

"I suppose you know pretty well what I'm up against on this Project.
What would you do with Murphy if you were Manning?"

"I'd beat three pounds of dog meat off his face," replied Murphy,
succinctly.

Jim shrugged his shoulders. "That would do neither of us any good. If I
let you go, Murphy, will you give me your word of honor to let the
Project absolutely alone?"

The Irishman gave Jim a quick look. "And would you take my word?"

"Not as a saloonkeeper, but as Irish, I would."

Murphy drew a long breath. "Thank you, Mr. Manning. I'll get off the
Project if you say so. But I think you'd be wiser to give me a job below
on the diversion dam where I can keep track of Fleckenstein and his
crowd for you. I'll show you what it means to trust an Irishman, sir."

Jim suddenly flashed his wistful smile. "I knew you had the makings of a
friend in you as soon as I saw how you took the cleaning up I gave you
yesterday. I'll give you a note to my irrigation engineer. He needs a
good man."

Bill and Murphy went out the door together. "I'll bet you the drinks,
Bill," said Murphy, "that he never made you his friend."

"I ain't drinking. I'm his trusted officer," said Bill. "Get me? If you
try any tricks on him----"

Bill stopped abruptly, for Murphy's fist was under his nose. "Did you
hear him take my word like a gentleman?" he shouted. "I'd rather be dead
than double cross him!"

"Aw, go on down to the diversion dam," said Bill, irritably. "I've got
no time to listen to your talk. You heard him tell me to guard the
place!"

A part of Jim's day's work, after his letters were answered and written
in the morning, was to tramp over every portion of the job. The quarry,
in the mountain to the north of the dam whence were being taken the
giant rock for embedding in the concrete was his first care. The stone
must be of the right quality and of proper weight and contour to bind
well with the cement. The quarrying itself must be going forward rapidly
and without waste. Then came the giant sand dump, where the dinkies had
filled a canyon with the sand from the river bed. This was the supply
that fed the always hungry mixer. After this the warehouse and the power
house, the laboratories and t