tried every one in the
world."

"And who the devil wants you to ask your father for money for me?" Roger
shouted. "Haven't we got practically all the material we need, bought
and paid for? We don't need anything except food. We'll do the work
ourselves."

Ernest's gentle voice interrupted. "But, Rog--"

"Don't _but_ me," roared Roger. "I tell you nothing shall stop me now!
If it takes twenty years, I'll go through with this. I'd rather cut my
throat than not go on with it. I've waited for five years for this
chance. The death of one man won't stop me, nor the indifference of some
fool government clerk. This plant is going to be built."

"What I started to say," said Ernest quietly, "when you began your
brain-storm, was that if you'd sell your laboratory equipment up home it
would guarantee us food for six months. The Dean would attend to it for
you."

Roger sat down on his cot, rather suddenly. "That's a good idea, Ern,"
he said, meekly.

Ernest picked up the pancake turner. "I'm with you to a finish in this,
Roger. You don't have to jaw me, you know."

"Sorry, old man," muttered Roger.

"It's all right," replied Ernest. "I'll finish getting breakfast. We've
got all day to talk this over. One idea occurs to me. Perhaps this man
Hampton who signs this letter would be less cold to the project if he
had details. Why don't you give him the whole story, both of the plant
and of our relationship to Austin?"

"That's a good hunch," exclaimed Roger, immensely cheered up by the
suggestion. "Well," with a sigh, "I might have known I was having too
much luck."

"It's the old lady. She's a bird of ill omen. I knew it the minute I saw
her, this morning. Come out as soon as you can, Rog. I don't dare to be
alone with her."

Roger grinned, but did not hasten his shaving. Ernest could be
facetious. After all, the building of the plant was not Ernest's dream.
Roger was shocked by the news of Austin's death, but the shock was not
due to grief. Austin simply represented opportunity to the young
inventor. A sudden fear was clutching at his heart lest now the plant
would never be completed. Roger had learned much since his arrival in
the desert. He had begun to realize that the desert fights ferociously
any attempt to subdue her. He knew now that it was going to take much
longer than the outside margin he had allowed to build the plant. If a
driven well failed, he must try out the Prebles'. Perhaps Dick's
knowledge of irrig