ith Mr. Menocal, even?"

"Even with Mr. Menocal, yes. Once my application for changes has been
approved and I have the money to build, what can he do?"

"You seem quite sure of yourself."

"I'm sure of this irrigation project, anyway. I'm going to build it."
Conviction absolutely dominated his lean brown face; and the banker
looking at the speaker's chin, his firm mouth, curving nose, and gray
eyes full of purpose, wondered if Menocal had met his match.

"Well, suppose you leave your maps and estimates for me to look over,"
he said. "When do you go to the capital?"

"This evening."

"See me again on your return. My attorney will examine your title to
the land and the water right. How are the young ladies on Perro Creek
getting along?"

"They have plenty of fresh air and scenery," Lee responded, relaxing
from the tension under which he had been.

"It was rather a wild notion, their taking claims, but they wanted the
experience. I hope my niece is benefited in respect to her health. My
wife and I run up once in a while to see if they're comfortable." Then
he added, "Perhaps I had best confess that Imogene had told me of what
you were at up there, and of your involvement with Mr. Menocal. So
this thing isn't wholly new to me."

Bryant returned to the hotel, well satisfied with the progress he had
made. In the lobby of the hotel he ran across Charlie Menocal, who
gave him a venomous look and passed into the bar without speaking.
What the young fellow might feel or think gave Lee no concern, though
he might have taken warning from that hostile regard. For it was by
Charlie's instructions that a short, stout, swart Mexican went from a
native saloon to the depot that evening, where he presently identified
Bryant and lounged nearer the spot. Dave at length noticed him and
called Lee's attention to the fellow, whose face had a particularly
sinister cast and whose eyes were fixed upon the engineer in a stony,
unblinking stare. That look gave one the sensation of being gazed at
by something poisonous in a clump of sagebrush. But the feeling was
forgotten when the train came in on which they were departing and
Bryant and Dave mounted the steps of a coach.

The Mexican, on his part, returned to the saloon, where eventually he
was joined by Charlie Menocal. Charlie's face was flushed and his
breath alcoholic; he was a little drunk. At a corner table they
conferred, drinking whisky.

"You will know him now, the snake!" C