Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1918-02-15
CHAPTER XVII.
The Meoalomanlae.

The Megalomanlac.
Sixty-odd hours before the expiration
Of the time limit, BARLEY Williams,
lean and somber-eyed from the strain
he had been under for many days and
nights, saw the presidents gray road
ster blowing its way through the mesa
sand on the approach to the construc-
ton camp, and was glad.
1--WE been trying all the morning to
squeeze out time to get into town." he
told Baldwin, when the roadster came
to a stand in front of the shack COM
mlssary. "Where is Smith,
The colonel threw up his hand In a
gesture expressive Of complete detach-
ment.
Don't ask me. John has gone plumb
loco in these last two or three days.
It's as much as your life's worth to
ask him where he has been or where
he is going or what he means to do
next"
"He hasn't stopped 6ghtlngT" said
the engineer, half aghast at the bare
possibility.
"Oh, no; he is at II harder than
Rver-gOlng 1t just q shaving too
| strong, is what I'd tell him, If he'd let
me get lear enough to shout at him.
Last night, after the theater, he went
around to the Herald office, and the
way they're talking 1t on the street,
he was aiming to shoot up the whole
newspaper joint II Mark Allen, the edi-
tor, wouldn't take back a bunch Of the
lies he's been publishing about the
High Line. 1t wound up in q scrap
Of some sort. l don't know who got
the worst of 1t, but John isn't crippled
up any, to speak of, this morning-only
in his temper"
Williams shook his head. II guess
Wen have to stand for the crouch, If
he'll only keep busy. He has the hot
end of It. We couldn't very well get
along without him, right now, colonel.
With all due respect to you and the
members of the board, he is the fight
ing backbone of the whole outfit"
"He is that" was Baldwin's ready
admission. "He is Just what we've
been calling him from the first, Bart
ley-a three-ply, dyed-in-the-wool won
der in his speciality. He is fighting
now like a nan in the last ditch, and
l believe he thinks he is in the last
ditch"
ut will be only two days more
said the engineer, saying 1t as n who
has been counting the days In keen
anxiety. And then "Stilllngs told me
yesterday that we're not going to get
an extension of the time limit from the
state authorities"
mo; that little fire went out, blink,
just as Smith said 1t would. Stanton's
hackers have the political pull-ln the
state as well as in Washington. They're
going to hold us to the letter OF the
law"
Let 'em do It. Wen win out yet
II we don't run up against one or both
OF the only two things I'm afraid OF
now: high water, or the railroad call
down."
1.-THE railroad grab2 HIVE you heard
anything more about that2'
"That is what ! was trying to get tc
town for; to talk the railroad business
over with you and Stlllings and Smith
They've had a gang here this morn.
lng-a bunch of engineers, with q
stranger, who gave his name as Hal
lowell, in charge. They claimed to be
verifying the old survey. and Hallowell
notified me formally hat our dam stood
sqaarely In their right OF way for q
bridge crossing of the river"
"They didn't serve any papers on
you, did theyG" inquired the colonel
Anxlously.
"NO; the notice was verbal. But
Hnllowell wound up with n threat. lie
said, You've had due warning, legally
and otherwise, Mr.. Williams. This is
our right Of way, bought and paid for,
as we can prove when the matter gets
into the courts. You mustn't be sur
prised II we take whatever steps may
be necessary to recover what belongs
, to u.s."
"FOrcef" querled the Mlssourian,
with a CLINT OF the border fighters fire
In his eyes"
"NaVbe. But we're ready for that.