The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1934-06-22
By PETER B. KyNE
wNU Service.
Copyright, by Peter B. Kyne.

the position of ranch superintendent,
which positnon he had held with credit
and honor until Nate Tichenor had
gone out of the cattle business. RUDE
Tenney was nearly fifty years old now,
but active and still trustworthy. He
greeted his old master as informally
as if they had not seen each other
since 1917.
well. got your wire ordering me
to report, Nate. RUDE Tenney an
nounced. $50 came a-runnin'."
Tichenor smiled. When the Bar ID
retirement had left Tenney without
a job, Nate had financed his old super
intendent in the lease of ranch and
band of two thousand sheep. Sheep
were and always had been repugnant
to RUDE Tenney, but he had worried
along with the nuisances and even dur
ing those lean years had managed to
make more than a living off them.
You left a good man In charge OF
your sheep, l hope, Rube?"
II sold 'em to good man. My lease
was expiring in October, an after
three bad feed years / reckoned I'd
better quit before my sheep died o.
starvation" He handed Nate a
check. There's the money you staked
me to. / got few thousand over an
above that. Thank God, the rest O. my
life will be spent with decent, re-
spectacle cows"
"Now's fine time to git back into
the cattle business" Mr.. Tenney went
on. prices is advancin' but you can
still stock up cheap"
''I'm not going back into the cattle
business, RUDE. But you are. You're
to be riding boss of the Circle K-on
the salary of ranch superintendent"
"Ah! Closin' in on them Kershaws,
eh?" Tenney grinned.
Patiently Nate proceeded to disillu-
sion him, and while he was doing it
the Tenney head wagged understand
ingly. "Never did figger you'd be able
to keep up steam like the Hensleys,"
he declared. That's your fathers
blood. Very well. son. I'm glad to
have the job"
Miss Kershaw knows all about you
knows I've sent for you. There's a
Miss Bachman staying with her at
present. Tell her suggested she send
Miss Bachman back to Valley Center
in this rented car of yours"
He gazed long and affectionately
after the departing RUDE Tenney and
his brood. "Old Faithful" he solilo-
quized. HE doesn't suspect | bought
him out of the sheep business and
took a loss to do it. But it's worth
it TO have him back on the job-to be
free of worry about that Kershaw girl
and her finances-and mine. Fine joke
on RUDE and me if she takes notion
to fire him-for woman's reasonr'
But in his heart he knew there was
little chance of that. Lorry Kershaw
was a girl one could trust to know
the value of good rider and a loyal
employee. And RUDE Tenney could
fill the bill.
When Silas Babson returned to Val
ley Center he brought with him three
legal documents, all undated. One was
a petition to the county board of super
visors for permission to form the For
lorn Valley Irrigation district; another
was formal application to the state
water commission requesting the al!o-
cation to the Forlorn Valley Irrigation
district of the flood or freshet water of
Eden Valley creek; the third was the
articles of incorporation of the district.
The attorneys he had consulted.
Messrs. Brooks, Gagan and Brooks had
agreed with him that, under the cir
cumstances. his strategy was excellent,
but had taken occasion to warn him
that if Nate Tichenor and Lorraine
Kershaw should decide to oppose his
proposition seriously he would realize
he had fight on his hands before
he got through with them.
Under legislation recently enacted
a state water commission has been
appointed and this commission has
control of the so-called unappropriated
waters in all the streams in this state.
There are, undoubtedly, billions of gal
Ions of so-called unappropriated water
in Eden Valley creek. and there Is no
doubt but that the state water COM
mission will grant the petition OF. the
Forlorn Valley Irrigation district for
the ALLEGATION to il of these so-called
unappropriated waters.
"As | understand your situation. If
on vonr in nnara
ton to enter a condemnation suit be-
fore Tichenor sells his dam site to this
power company you suspect of having
an interest in it, and before the Ker-
shaw girl sells her lake site to the
same power company, you will, by the
filing of that suit. automatically ruin
the aspirations of your competitor, and
you may safely accept my assurance
that you can win such condemnation
suit. However, what the proposed irri-
CATION district will have to pay Tiche-
nor and Miss Kershaw for .hese prop
jury to decide. Your irrigation district
will have to pay the price within
thirty days or forfeit forever its right
to acquire the lands"
Babson nodded his comprehension
and the attorney continued: -Yonr
first choice of an impounding dam is
now owned by Tichenor and the lake
site by Miss Kershaw. If these prop
critics are sold to the power company,
being public service utility. cannot
be disturbed in its possession by an
other smaller corporation. You under
stand that point clearly?"
Again Babson nodded.
"We will assume that this is exactly