o understand me official sintimints in me official capacity
clearly. Yez may quote me exact words if ye feel so disposed."

"In your official capacity," said Casey, "your official sentiments do
you great credit."

"I'm glad ye think so," said Mr. Quilty; "for in me private capacity,
speakin' widout prejudice to me salary and as a true son iv dear, ould,
dirty Dublin to a friend, me private sintimints is these: Th' man that
invinted dynymite should have a set iv goold medals th' size iv a
compound's dhrivers. But if iver ye mintion me private sintimints to a
soul, I'll have yer life!"

CHAPTER XIV

Farwell was by nature obstinate; he was also resourceful, and
accustomed to carrying out his instructions by hook or by crook. That
was one reason why he was such a valuable man. He accomplished his ends
or his employers' ends after some fashion. Therefore, when the almost
completed dam was destroyed, he recognized merely a temporary, if
expensive, setback. The company could afford to pay for any number of
dams; but, in order to push their sales, and, as a first step toward
acquiring other properties at a minimum figure, they wanted the water
on their lands at once. Very well, they should have it.

Though the dam was practically wrecked, the main canal was intact. Its
intake was just above the dam, solidly built of masonry, with sluice
gates to control the volume of water. Without the dam it carried a
comparatively small stream. With the dam, and the consequent raising of
the water level, it would roar full from wall to wall, a river in
itself.

Just at its lower lip Farwell began to drive piles at an angle
upstream. He sank brush with hundreds of bags of sand, made cribwork
filled with whatever rubbish came to his hand, and soon he had the
makings of a temporary dam, rude, but effective. It would serve three
purposes: It would fill the company's ditches; it would practically
empty the ranchers'; and it would render the rebuilding of the
permanent dam easier. Farwell was quite satisfied with himself.

Meanwhile, he found time to ride over to Talapus occasionally. His
footing there was anomalous, and he felt it. On the one hand he wished
the McCraes well and had done all he could for them; on the other he
was ruthlessly carrying out a project which would ruin them. Under
these circumstances he looked for no more than tolerance. He now owned
frankly to himself that he was in love with Sheila. He had made little