the train, Mr. Hatch observed:

"Well, Frank, the thing is settled at last, and now it will be pushed
through as fast as possible. We'll have that railroad built in a hurry,
and you don't have to lift a hand. You have business enough to look
after, and so----"

"I was not particularly anxious to become actively concerned in the
construction of our railroad," said Merry; "but, of course, I stood
ready and willing to do my share."

"Which you did by pledging yourself to take a good big lot of the stock
when issued. As this road is to be capitalized at its actual value, it
ought to become a rich thing for every stockholder. Leave it to us to
take care of everything, Frank. There will be no delays."

"Unless Bantry Hagan and Felipe Jalisco cause them."

"But you were absolutely confident that Jalisco's document was a
forgery."

"Absolutely confident, Mr. Hatch. I can't say whether Bantry Hagan
worked up this scheme or not, with the idea of squeezing something out
of us; but if he did he must have worked swiftly after the death of Del
Norte. I'm more inclined to believe that by some chance he ran across
Jalisco and was himself convinced that the document was genuine. The
fact that I have so thoroughly investigated everything that might have
the slightest bearing on the legality of my title to the San Pablo makes
me absolutely confident that the Jalisco grant is a forgery."

"Well, you have settled Watson Scott's mind on that point, and Scott is
not a man to make mistakes. The rest of us are ready to follow his
lead."

"It's something of a relief to me," confessed Merry. "Of course, I was
confident of coming out ahead of Del Norte, but the man kept me moving.
As it has turned out, I don't feel it necessary to make a rush to
Mexico, and I'll take my time about going West. If things pan out all
right, I'll have some of my friends along, and we'll stop on the way at
St. Louis and other places. I'm almost tempted to seek recreation in
athletics and sports."

"You can choose your own course about that, Frank. If your business
admits of it, I don't blame you for enjoying life through those sports
in which you seem to take such a great interest. But you must stop with
me a day or two. I want you to meet my boy, Arthur. He's a fine chap,
but just a little inclined to be wild. I have to watch him closely to
hold him down, and I'm afraid I don't hold him down all the time. I
believe you'll like Art."

They chatted in this