een bothered by that young chap, Latisan, from the Tomah
region," reported Dawes, the attorney. "He threatens a fight which will
rip the cover off affairs in the north country. How about what's
underneath, provided the cover is ripped off, Craig?"

"Everything sweet as a nut! Any other kind of talk is bluff and
blackmail. So that's young Latisan's latest move, eh?" he ejaculated,
squinting appraisingly at Dawes and turning full gaze of candor's fine
assumption on Horatio Marlow, the president.

"Just who is this young Latisan?" inquired Marlow.

"Oh, only the son of one of the independents who are sticking out on a
hold-up against us. Did he name his price, Dawes?"

"He didn't try to sell anything," acknowledged the attorney. "Craig, let
me ask you, are you moving along the lines of the law we have behind us
in those special acts I steered through?"

"Sure thing!" asserted the field director, boldly.

"We've got to ask for more from the next legislature," stated the
lawyer.

The president came in with a warning. "Credit is touchy these days, Mr.
Craig. We're going into the market for big money for further
development. It's easy for reports to be made very hurtful."

"I'm achieving results up there," insisted Craig, doggedly.

"We're very much pleased with conditions," agreed the president. "We're
able to show capital a constantly widening control of properties and
natural advantages. But remember Achilles's heel, Mr. Craig."

"I haven't been able to fight 'em with feathers all the time," confessed
the field director. "There wasn't much law operating up there when I
grabbed in. I have done the best I could, and if I have been obliged to
use a club once in a while I have made the fight turn something for the
corporation." He exhibited the pride of the man who had accomplished.

The attorney warned Craig again. "We can't afford to have any uproar
started till we get our legislation properly cinched. Tomah seems to be
attended to. But we need some pretty drastic special acts before we can
go over the watershed and control the Noda waters and pull old Flagg
into line. He's the last, isn't he?--the king-pin, according to what I
hear."

"I'll attend to his case all right," declared Craig, with confidence.
"I'll tackle the Noda basin next. Flagg must be licked before he'll
sell. He's that sort. A half lunatic on this independent thing. I reckon
you'll leave it to me, won't you?"

"We'll leave all the details of o