t
the Company's station agent; if no results were forthcoming there, they
assured the Company, they would take action against every railway agent
in the Territories who was guilty of distributing cars contrary to the
provisions of the Grain Act. The complaint went before Mr. C. C.
Castle, the official Warehouse Commissioner; the information was laid
before Magistrate H. O. Partridge at Sintaluta.

All over the country the newspapers began to devote valuable space to
the impending trial. It was talked about in bar-rooms and
barber-shops. Some anti-railroaders declared at once that the farmers
hadn't a minute's chance to win against the C. P. R. The news
percolated eastward, its significance getting lighter till it became
merely: "a bunch of fool hayseeds out West in some kind of trouble with
the C. P. R.--cows run over, or something." At Ottawa, however, were
those who saw handwriting on the wall and they awaited the outcome with
considerable interest. Several public men, especially from Regina,
made ready to be in actual attendance at the preliminary trial.

The farmers were out in force, for they realized the importance of this
test case. It was not the agent at Sintaluta they were fighting, but
the railway itself; it was not this specific instance of unjust car
distribution that would be settled, but all other like infringements
along the line. The very efficacy of the Grain Act itself was
challenged.

Two hours before the Magistrate's Court sat to consider the case, J. A.
M. Aikins (now Sir James Aikins, Lieutenant-Governor of Manitoba), who
was there as the legal representative of the C. P. R., tapped the
President of the farmers' Association on the elbow.

"Let's make a real case of it while we're at it," he smiled, and
proceeded to suggest that instead of laying information against the
railway company on two charges, the Association should charge them also
with violating some five or six other sections of the Act. "Then we'll
have a decision on them, too, you see. For the purpose of this case
the Company will plead guilty to the offences. What do you say?"

"Don't you do it, W. R.! Not on your life, Mister!"

The farmers within earshot crowded about the two. They suspected
trickery in such a last-minute suggestion; either the railway people
were very sure they had the case in their pocket or they were up to
some smooth dodge, you bet!

President Motherwell shook his head dubiously.

"How can