l Jim," said Uncle Denny, "do you suppose she's thought of anything
else but the situation out here, excepting, of course, poor Sara? And
Pen's Irish! Even long distance fighting has charms for her."

Henderson looked at Jim's dark circled eyes and his compressed lips. "Go
to bed, Boss," he said in his tender voice. "See if you can't get some
sleep. You have done your best. Is there anyone in the valley you ain't
seen yet?"

"Two or three," said Jim.

"See them," said Henderson. "We are going to put up a fight to keep you
here, Mr. Manning."

Jim started for his bedroom door, then he came back and said slowly: "I
don't want you fellows to misunderstand me. I'm the least important item
in this matter. I admit that it's crucifying me to leave the dam, but
there is no doubt they can find a better man than I am for the job. I
woke up too late. You folks must keep on in one last fight against
Fleckenstein. For Fleckenstein stands for repudiation. Repudiation means
the undermining of the basic principle of the Reclamation Service. And
the loss of that principle means the loss of the Projects as a great
working ideal for America. It was that principle that was the real
kernel of the New England dream in this country. We've got to work not
so much for equality in freedom as for equality in responsibility to the
nation. Don't waste a moment on keeping me here. Make one last effort to
defeat Fleckenstein."

Then Jim went into his room and closed the door.

When he had gone, Murphy said in a low voice: "It's too late to lick
Fleckenstein. Are we going to lie down on the Boss losing his job,
boys?"

"Not till I've beaten the face off Fleckenstein," said Henderson,
softly.

"I want to get in touch with Mrs. Pen," said Oscar Ames.

"Aw, forget it, Ames!" said Murphy. "I don't doubt she's a smart girl,
but this is no suffragette meeting."

"Don't try to start anything," said Oscar. "Wait till you're married for
thirty years like me and maybe you'll have learned a thing or two."

"Don't quarrel, boys," said Uncle Denny. "Me heart is like lead within
me. How can I think of Jim as anywhere but with the Service?"

"If he goes, I go," said Henderson. "The only reason I stayed up on the
Makon was because of him. What's the matter with the wooden heads in
this country? I'd like to be fool killer for a year."

Murphy was chewing his cigar. "You'd have to commit suicide if you was,"
he said. "I've tried everything against Fleck