White Pine news. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1920-1923, 1921-03-06
CHAPTER XIX.
More Oratory.

Four men sat ut a small table In a
corner of the crowded hotel dining
room. in FL Centre. Their names
made their corner the psychological
center of the room. Marshall was al
ways n target OF speculation. Mac
Lean. straight and soldierly In his
mustard-colored clothes, was, as usual,
the man Of distinction. Black start,
ed the whisper going that he dark
stranger was General de la Vega, the
Mexican commissioner.
What was he doing in that group7
Babcock completed a combination
which encouraged speculations and
head-shakings. The room was damned
with valley men. The meeting or the
ranchers aud the several water COM
panies had been called for hat after
noon. the summons signed by Fara-
day himself. Nothing else had been
talked of for a fortnight.
1t was known throughout the valley
that the work at the intake was not
yet begun that Richard IA waiting
there for orders; that Faraday and
the president of the United States
were involved in correspondence as to
the responsibility for the future con
troll of the river. Faraday's eagerness
to shift his burden was looked upon
as suspicious. 1t was in the air that
the officers Of the Overland Pacific
would demand a recall of the damage
suits before they would complete the
protective works at the Heading. Thu
mel of long vision, members of the
water companies, and Brandon
through the valley Star. were pointing
out that the valleys salvation depend
ed on the immediate control of thu
river; that the railroad. only, haG
power I o effect it. These conservative
were counseling caution. Only tina
morning. the Star had issued an extra
a special edition pleading for co-opera
ton. "If the river breaks out again,
warned Brandon's editorial, "withou
immediate force to restrain 1t. recla
nation for that valley Is a dream tina
is done. And the only force equal I
that emergency is the railroad. VIII
deliberately %antagonize the railroad
The Desert Reclamation company, |
Is well known, is bankrupt. For tn
: instant. the railroad has assumed tn
: responsibilities of the smaller organ
zation. Apply the same situation I
individuals. Suppose a private citize
Is In straits, and another comes TO
' ward to help him. Must every ere,
: itor assume hat the Samaritan shoul
pay the crushed citizens bills? In til
! present issue, self-interest should url
consideration. Better a small los
today that tomorrow may amply r
fund. than total ruin In the future"
Hardin. from his morose unshars
d setting toward the railroad grou
. Over glasses. heads we're close I
y gether. Near him. the talk ran hig
Scraps OF infiammable speeches bic
Q his way from Bartcn's party.
u Hardin's mouth wore a set snet
" "Water company talk Black W,
haranguing his comrades. "Stand o
'e against them. Don't let them bl,
u you. Marshall will try to blur yC
Stand together !" Barton's resona
~ organ broke through the clatt
e Marshall Is not going to blur u
s. Grace and Black began to talk at on,
Hardin's lip grew rougher. Where h
they all been II II had not been 1
p him7 Why. he'd pulled them fr,
their little farms back East, whit
they were toiling-where they'd
tolling yet. They'd had the vision
70 sudden wealth-they hadn't the z
II to work for 1t. to wait for It'll II,
Ia many years had he been strugglin
He was a young man when he'd &c
d into this thing. and he vas old now
It Coffee and cigars had b.
Is reached Of the midday dinner. b
cock was n~ervously consulting