moved on westward, keeping ahead of
the camps of the layers.

The first train that reached North Platte brought directors of the U. P.
R.--among them Warburton and Rudd and Rogers; also Commissioners Lee and
Dunn and a host of followers on a tour of inspection.

The five miles of Neale's section of road that the commissioners had
judged at fault had been torn up, resurveyed, and relaid.

Neale rode back over the line with Baxter and surveyed the renewed part.
Then, returning to North Platte, he precipitated consternation among
directors and commissioners and engineers, as they sat in council, by
throwing on the table figures of the new survey identical with his old
data.

"Gentlemen, the five miles of track torn up and rebuilt had precisely
the same grade, to an inch!" he declared, with ringing scorn.

Baxter corroborated his statement. The commissioners roared and the
directors demanded explanations.

"I'll explain it," shouted Neale. "Forty-six thousand dollars a mile!
Five miles--two hundred and thirty thousand dollars! Spent twice! Taken
twice by the same construction company!"

Warburton, a tall, white-haired man in a frock-coat, got up and pounded
the table with his fist. "Who is this young engineer?" he thundered. "He
has the nerve to back his work instead of sneaking to get a bribe. And
he tells the truth. We're building twice--spending twice when once is
enough!"

An uproar ensued. Neale had cast a bomb into the council. Every man
there and all the thousands in camp knew that railroad ties cost
several dollars each; that wages were abnormally high, often demanded
in advance, and often paid twice; that parallel with the great spirit
of the work ran a greedy and cunning graft. It seemed to be inevitable,
considering the nature and proportions of the enterprise. An absurd law
sent out the commissioners, the politicians appointed them, and both
had fat pickings. The directors likewise played both ends against the
middle; they received the money from the stock sales and loans; they
paid it out to the construction companies; and as they employed and
owned these companies the money returned to their own pockets. But more
than one director was fired by the spirit of the project--the good to
be done--the splendid achievement--the trade to come from across the
Pacific. The building of the road meant more to some of them than a mere
fortune.

Warburton was the lion of this group, and he roared down the dissens