The Arvada enterprise. (Arvada, Colo.) 1908-1970, 1919-06-26

acle. There was not Q scar on the
powerful face.
"Estrada's business methods were
then not different from sathers and
Hardin's" It was . deep. rich organ.
"Oh, you can't class Hardin with
Sather." protested Richards compan-
ion. "Sather used Hardin. Hardin's
honesty cannot be quesdoned. It's not
moneys he's after. His whole heart
10 In this reclamation scheme"
"Hardin's . false ALARM" growled
the owner Of the massive head. "He
makes pfomisea He never keeps
them"
The older mans smile was tolerant.
Barton" he indicated. 'is the presi-
dent Of the water companies. And II
You want to hear about Q rogue and .
scoundrel ask the water companies
their opinion Of Hardin"
"Well, what sort Of Q hole has he
got ~ intoT demanded the other with
heat.
sHarthn's In q hole himself.
no one seems to remember that he
cFucfied himself to save the valley.
I've . great respect for Thomas Har-
DIN"
"Yesf returned Richard, whose Tx
Ing had been captured By the speaker.
Tho impression Of distinction sharp.
ened. The stranger wore Q laundered
pongee silk shirt, open ut the neck but
restricted BY Q brown dix de; and 1t
was trinity 6sltsd. There were but
two necst1es In the entire car, and
they occupied, Richard observed, the
same seat
The beginning Of the canal ~.
tenn"
Richard looked out upon Q nat one.
toned country. marked or In nc.
tangiss By plows and scrapsra TaE.
TIER south these rectansiss were edged
By young willows. He fancisd he
could ses. even at that distance, he
CLEAN Of water.
II was the passing Of the desert. A
few miles back he had seen the desert
In its primitive naksdness, which not
even cactus relieved. He was passing
over the land which man and horses
were preparing for water. And he
could sss The land whsre water was.
THAT WAS The way Riverside looked
when ! arst cav It." commsntod the
other man who wore q de. ''Coms out
on the rear platform. We can go bet
ter"
Richard followed to the back Of the
dust.swept stining car. The glare on
the platform WAS intense. Hs stood
watching the newly made ehsckerboard
Of Q country clip past him. Rscsding
wefs the two lines Of cleaning steel
rails which connected and separ1ted
him from the world outside. He was
going In" Not In Mexico even had
he such feeling Of ultimate remote
ness. The mountains. converging per.
spectively toward the throat Of the
valley. looked elusive and unreal in
their gauxe draperies Of rose and vio-
let. The tender hour Of day was cloth.
Ing them with mystery. softening their
sharp outlines. They curtained the
world beyond. Richard felt the sus-
pense Of the next act
II was q torpid Imagination, he
thought. which would not quicken over
this conquest Of the desert. East Of
the tract men and teams were prepar.
Ing the newly furrowed ground for the
seed. The curved land knives were
breaking up the rich mold into ridges
OF soft soil as unc0hesive and feathery
~ pulverised chocolate. II was the
dark color Of the chocolate Of com.
merce. this silt which had been pil.
fered from the states through which
the vagrant river wandered. The smell
Of the upturned earth. sweetly damp,
struck against his nostrtls. Richard
INDUCED . minute Of whimsical fancy;
this WAS California territory over
which his train was passing, but the
soil. that dark earth those blades were
crumbling. was II not the tribute Of
other states. Of despoiling Wyoming.
Of ravishing Colorado and Arizonaf
To the west new squares were being
leveled and outlined. Shrubby rec.
tangles were being cleaned Of their ere.
osote bush and tough mesquite. Com.
pared with other countries. the prepa.
ration for planting was the simplest.
horsss were dragging over the ground
u railroad rail bent Into Q v angle.
which pulled the bushes BY the roots
and dragged them out Of the way. BE.
yond. farther west could BE- seen tho
untouched desert. The surface for
many miles was cracked By water
lines. broken and baked into irregular
sand cakes: the marx OF sand which
has been Imprisoned BY water and
branded BY swift heat.
Close By men were putting In with
care the seed that was to quicken the
river silt They were passing square
where the green tips Of the grain
were piercing the ground. Now they
were abreast OF Q Geld Of matured al.
fnlfa over which the wind raced crate.
fully. Desert md srnin field: dcnth |
and life! The panorama embraced the
whole cycle.