gin after the interview with Reedy
Jenkins he had the feeling of furious futility which many a brave man
has felt under similar circumstances. Yonder, two hundred yards away,
he could see American soldiers patrolling the border; yet so little
influence and so little fear did that big benign government wield over
here that he knew that scoundrel and his villainous Mexican
confederates could ruin his fields, throw him in jail and, even as
Reedy threatened, bleach his bones on the sand, and no help come from
over there--not in time to save him.

And yet there must be ways. There were other Mexican officials than
the thieving one that Reedy had bribed to protect his movements and
robberies. There were some fair Mexicans; and there were others, even
if unfair, on whom the pressure of self-interest could surely be
brought to bear.

It was unfortunate, Bob reflected, that Jim Crill had bought up all the
debts against Jenkins' cotton. If these debts had been left scattered
among the banks and stores and implement dealers, there would have been
some influential cooperation in his effort to get action from the
Mexican officials.

Bob went across the line and filed a long telegram to the State
Department at Washington outlining the situation and asking for
assistance. Then he caught the train for Los Angeles, where he had
learned the American consul at the nearest Mexican port, whom he knew,
was on a vacation.

The consul was very indignant at the treatment Rogeen was receiving and
promised to investigate.

"Investigate!" Bob ran his fingers through his thick, sweaty hair, and
unconsciously gave it a jerk. "But, man, I need water right now! It's
the most critical time of the whole crop. Every day of delay means a
loss of ten, fifteen, twenty thousand dollars."

"I know," said the consul; "but don't you see no officer can act merely
on the word of one man. We have to get evidence and forward it to the
department. If only I had the authority to act on my own initiative, I
could bring them to time in twenty-four hours."

"If you wired to the department for authority," suggested Bob,
"couldn't you get it?"

The consul shook his head doubtfully. He really was impressed by Bob's
desperate situation. "I'll try it, and I'll be down to-morrow to see
what I can do."

Bob returned to Calexico with a little hope--not much but a little.
Anyway, he was anxious to see the department's reply to his own appeal.
But it had