rain
service, freight transfer, buildin' a station, and sich matters."

Here was a man who could get down to business, President Castle
perceived, and who could state his business clearly and to the point.

"I know the valley. Been talking about it. Where do you come in?"

"I calculate to build the road."

"For Crane and Keith?"

"Eh?"

"They're the men backing it, aren't they? In to see me about it last
week."

Crane and Keith! Scattergood's career in the valley had been one of
warfare with Crane and Keith. He had beaten them with his dam and boom
company; he had beaten them in certain stumpage operations. Now they
were after his railroad and his valley.

"Um!..." he said, and reached down mechanically to loosen his shoe. Here
was need for careful thought.

"I gave them all necessary information," said the president.

"Don't concern me none," said Scattergood. "This here is to be _my_
railroad, and I'm the feller that's goin' to own and run it. Crane and
Keith hain't in it at all."

"You're too late. The G. and B. has agreed to handle their freight and
to stop passengers at their station. Tentatively agreed to lease and
operate the road when built.... Good morning." "I calculate there's
room for argument," said Scattergood. "I own right consid'able of that
right of way."

"Railroad can take it under the right of eminent domain," said the
president.

"Kin one railroad take from another one?" asked Scattergood, a bit
anxiously.

"No."

"Um!... Wa-al, you see, Mr. Castle, I got me a charter to build this
railroad. Legislature up and give me one."

"Makes no difference. We've made an agreement with Crane and Keith which
_stands_. You can't build your road, whatever you've got. Frankly, we
won't tolerate a road there that we don't control. Good morning."

"That final, Mr. President?"

"Absolutely."

"If I was to build in spite of you I calc'late you'd fix things so's
runnin' it wouldn't do much good to me, eh? Stop no trains for me, and
sich like?"

"Exactly."

"Um!... Mornin', Mr. President. If you ever git up to Coldriver don't go
to the hotel. Come right to my house. Mandy'll be glad to see you.
Mornin'."

Scattergood and Johnnie Bones, the young lawyer whom Scattergood had
taken to his heart, were studying a railway map of the state with
special reference to the G. & B. It showed them that the G. & B.
traversed a southerly corner of the state and had within its boundaries
some forty mile