The Delta independent., 1916-02-11


of your valley. and there you are
With small reduction plant you could
tell the big steel people to go hang"
"Unquestionably, But this is case
of can't-help-it," Brouillard argued.
You couldn't begin to interest private
capital in any OF those industries you
speak Of"
why not ?" was the curt demand.
Because when the dam is complet-
ed and the spillway gates are closed,
the Niqoyastcadje and everything in it
will go down under two hundred feet
of water"
"The-what?" queried Miss Cort-
wright.
THE Niqoyastcadje = 'Place-where-
they-came-up'" said Brouillard. eluci-
dating for her. THAT is the Navajo
name for this valley. Our map max
ers shortened it to 'Niquoia' and the
cowmen of the Buckskin foothills have
cut that to 'Nick-wire'"
This bit of explanatory place lore
was entirely lost upon Mr.. J. Wesley
Cartwright. He was chewing the ends
of his short mustaches and scowling
thoughtfully out upon the possible site
of the future Industrial city of the
plain.
Say -Brouillard," he cut in, you get
me the right to build that power dam,
and give me the contracts for what
material you'd rather buy than make
and I'll be switched II don't take
shot at this drowning proposition my
self l tell you, it looks pretty good
to me. What do you say?"
'I say laughed the young chief OF
construction. that I'm only a hired
man. You'll have to go a good few
rounds higher up on the authority lad.
der to close a deal like that. I'm not
sure 1t wouldn't require an act of
congress"
We'll. by George, we might get even
that IL we had to-" was the optimistic
assertion. You think about it."
Il guess 1t isn't my think" said
Brouillard, inclined to take the retired
pork packers suggestion as the mere
rawlings Of q money-mad promoter.
"As the government engineer in
charge Of this work, couldn't afford
to be identified even as a friendly in
termediary in any such scheme as the
one you are proposing"
"Of course. l suppose not" agreed
the would-be promoter. sucking his
under lip in a way ominously familiar
to his antagonists In the wheat pit
Then he glanced at his watch and
changed the subject abruptly. Wen
have to be struggling back to the
chug-wagon. Much obliged to you,
Mr.. Brouillard. VIII you come down
and see US Off"
At the final descent in the trail. with
the Buckskin blanknesses showing
hotly beyond the curtaining pines.
they passed at a step from romance to
the crude realities.
The realities were basing themselves
upon the advent of two newcomers,
riding down the Chigringo trail to the
ford which had been the scene of the
fish slaughtering; sunburnt young
man in goatskin CHAPS" flannel shirt
and a Tapping Stetson. and a girl
whose face reminded Brouillard of one
of the Madonnas, whose name and
painter he strove vainly to recall. Ten
seconds farther along the horses Of
the pair were smiling suspiciously at
the automobile. and the young man
under the tapping hat was telling Van
Bruce Cartwright what he thought OF
cartridge fishermen In general. and
of this present cartridge fisherman in
particular.
(which the same. being translated
into Buckskin English, hollers like
this" he concluded. Don't you tote
| G.tx
reservation; not no more. whatsoever.
Who says 80? Well. II anybody should
ask. you might say 1t was Tig Smith.
foreman o. the Tri'-Circ' outfit No,
amt no game warden. but what say
goes as she lays. Savez"
Brouillard walked his companion
down to the car and helped her to a
seat in the tonneau. She repaid him
with a nod and a smile, and when he
saw that the crudities were not
troubling her he stepped aside and un-
consciously fell to comparing the two
the girl on horseback and his walk
ing mate OF the canyon passage
They had little enough in common,
apart from their descent from Eve, he
decided-and the decision itself was
subconscious. The millionaire's daugh-
ter was a warm blonde, beautiful,
queenly, finished product OF civiliza-
tion and high-priced culture; wom-
an of the world. And the girl on horse.
back? A rather slight figure. face
winsome. masses Of copper.brown hair,
eyes He caught himself won
dering II her cowboy lover--he had
already jumped to the sentimental
conclusion-had ever been able to look
into these steadfast eyes and trifie