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THE RI\ V \ By EDNA \ CHAPTER XVIII. . (Continued From Last Friday "The railroad's no infant In arras! It wasn't asleep when it took over the affairs of the D. R." Here spoke the majority. "A benefaction! It was self-interest! When the river is harnessed, who'll profit the most from the valley prosperity? It can afford ' to pay tne ODiipauons; iiiue iis, ii could. It \Vill find a way," the ravens croaked, "of shaking the Desert Reclamation company's debts; of evading tlie? damage suits. Look how Hardin was treated!" The feeling ran higher. For mahy of the ranchers were rtjfned; |here was no money to put in the next - year's crop unless the promises of the irrigation company were kept. A few "a.".*!owners, and others who had not completed their contract?, dlstrusting the good faith of the com* pany, or its ability to pay, "had "quit" In disgust, to begin again somewhere else. Parrish, and Dowker, and others of the "Sixth" scoured dis< trict had secured the promise of em1 % ployment at the Heading. Work, it was expected, would be begun at once . v now that the danger to Calexlco had ' 4 passed. CHAPTER XIX. . ' ! ' More uratory. Four men sat at a small table In a corner of the crowded hotel dining room, in B1 Centro. \ Their names made, their c6roer the psychological center of the room. Marshall was always a target otf speculation. MacLean. straieht and soldierly in hlfl , mustard-colored clothes, was, aq usual, the man of distinction. Black started the whisper going that the dark stronger was General de la Vega, the Mexican commissioner. What was he doing in that group) ' ' Eabcock completed a combination . .which encouraged speculationsand head-shakings. The room wa? Jammed with valley men. The meetlhg of the | ranchers and the, several water companies had been Called for {hat aftermoon, the sunimons signed by Faraday himself. Nothing else had been talked of for a fortnight. rx- ?' It was known throughout the valley ? ' that the work at the .intake was npt. yet begun f-that Rickfcrd was waiting there for orders; th^t Faraday and tbe president of the United States v^ere involved in correspondence as1 to ' the responsibility for the future con1 * trol of the river. Faraday's eagerness to shift his burden was looked upon as suspicious. It was in the air that the officers of the Overland Pacific would demand a recall of the damage ?nilta hefnrp thev would comnlete the protective works at the Heading. The men of long vision, members of the ,l water companies, . and Brandon, through the valley Star, were pointing \ . out that the valley's Salvation depended on the immediate control of the river; that the railroad, only, had power to effect It These conservatives were counseling caution. Only that morning, the Star had issued an extra, a special edition pleading for co-operatifn. 'If the river* breaks out again," warned Brandon's editorial, "without x . immediate force to restrain it, reclamation for that valley is a dream that is done. And the only force equal to that emergency is the railroad. Why I deliberately antagonize the railroad? ' The Desert /Reclamation company, it is well known, Is ibankrupt For the lnstant,j the railroad has assumed the vaonnndhllltlcQ nf tho nmnllpr nreani Ration. Apply the same situation to Individuals. Suppose a private citizen is in straits, and another comes forward to help him. Must every creditor assume that the Samaritan should pay the crushed citizen's bills? In the present issue, self-interest should urge consideration. Better a small loss today that tomorrow may amply refund. than total ruin in the future." Hardin, from his morose unshared table, could see the anxious curiosity setting toward the railroad group. ' Over glasses, heads were close together. Near him, the talk ran high. Scraps of inflammable speeches blew his; way from Barton's party. ' Hardin's mouth wore a set sneer. 'Water company talk!" Black was haranguing his'comrades. "Stand out , against them. Don't let them bluff you. Marshall will try to bluff you. Stand together!" Barton's resonant organ. broke through the clatter. "Marshall is, not going to bluff us." Grace and Black began to talk at once. Hardin's lip grew rougher. Where had they all been if it had not been for him? ,Why, he'd pulled them from ll+f-la forme hoclr F!nst_ whpre &UC11 11VUV XU4 AAJk KJ MMVM ?i- ^ they were tolling?where they'd be tolling yet. They d had the vision of sudden wealth?they hadn't the grit to work for It, to wait f*r it! How igany^years, had -he been struggling? 1 V i \ V. !. . . ! / /ER / K H AIKEN !| ^ ! He" was a young man when" he'd'"gone into this thing, and he was.old now. Coffee and cigars had been reached of the midday dinner. Babcock was nervously consulting his watch. "Shouldn't we arrange the meeting?" he asked for the third time. The social,and casual air of the meet--, ing had teased him. -What had the political situation In Mexico to do with the important session confronting them? His fussy soul had no polite salons; office rooms every one of them. MacLenn looked to Tod Marshall to answer. I "I think it will arrange itself." His voice wns silken. "It is to be a discussion, a conference. You can't slate, that" "We couJd program," began Babcock, looking at his watch again. "I don't think we'll have to." Marshall smiled across the table. "You'll find this meeting will run itself. There is not a man nere wno is not Dnruing to speak. Look at them now! Drop a paper in that crowd, anil see the blaze you'd get!. You can open thfe meeting, Mr. Babcock, and I would suggest that you call on Mr. De la Vega first/' * The eyes of the dining room followed the party as they filed past the buzzing tables. Faraday was not in town; Marshall represented that power. As he walked out, bowing right m and left, his right-hand occasionally extended In bis well-known oratorical, courteous gesture. His black tie was stringing down his shirt front; his black 'clothes were the worse for his lunch. But no one, save the Eastern girls, saw spots or, tie. The future of that valley lay in ihat man's hand, no matter boW Black or Grace might harangue. In-five minutes, the dining roon; v*^s emptied. , As snow gently falling, had gathered the first damage suits of the ' U ' ' Otnchers. The last flood had precipitated a temperamental storm. Men were suing for the possible values of < their farms, ^Impossible values of! erops. Not alone the companies had ! jbeen blanketed with the accusing papers, ,but against Mexico the white drifts bad plied up. Mexico I No one knew better than Hardin how absurd it was to accuse the sister country of responsiblety. A pretty pickle they were in! Where was it all going to end? ' fIn the lobby, Hardin ran up togainst Brandon, who was following a mews scent. Through the valley it was being humored that subscriptions were to be asked for-the completion of the work. If this were the Intention, there would be a hot meeting. "You are going on the platform?" assumed the newspaper man. "No? Then will you sit with me?" "If you.will sit upstairs" scowled Hardin, "I don't want to be dragged onto the platform." Down in the orchestra, Black from the Wistaria was haranguing a group of gesticulating ranchers. Phrases climbed to the men on the balcony seats. "Keep their pledges. Promise makers. Let them look at our crops!" "If Marshall expects to' coerce those men, I lose my guess. Then he's no judge of men," cried Hardin. "Look at those faces." The floor was a sea of impassioned features. "Something's going to drop "echoed Brandon. From the wings, Babcock's inquisitive glasses were seen to sweep the house. Hardin could catch the sum* mons of an excited forefinger to the group unseen. There was a minute of delay. .Then Babcock's nervoue toddlq carried him onto the stage. De la Vega followed Babcock. There was a hush of curiosity. The ; house did not know who he was. Be- i hind him, soldierly, stiff, stalked Mac- ] Lean., Marshall's entrance released 1 the tongues. There was an interval 1 9f confusion on the stage. Babpock, I like 'a restless terrier, was snapping i at the heels of the party. At last, i they were all fussily seated- De la < Vega was given the place of honor. ; Marshall, Babcock put on his left 1 1 MacLean on the right. i Babcock raised his staccato gavel ; A hush fell on the house. His worde | were clipped and sharp. ' "You have left your plowing to come here. You are anxious to hear whal j we have to say to you. You cannol 1 afford to bet Indifferent to it You ac- ' | knowledge, by your presence, a de- 1 ! pendence, a correlation which you | would'like to deny. Irrigation means I co-operation, suffering together, strugj gllng together, succeeding together. ! You prefer the old individual way, ; i each man for himself. I tell you it j won't do. You belong in other coun1 tries, the countries of old-fashioned ! 1 rain. You want to hear what we linv? 1 to say to you, the company who saved i the valley, the company you are suing. I But you have also suits against Mex** r _ i ' \ I JS&pm ' ' 'Vf; ]:.. r.'iH'"1''""' ' ?: 7." Eas " ' , V .? ' .yJ J I ...;' ,_ , . . ' '"' ' X- ? ' You'll know air; a dress-up 1< np mistake if yc ' 1 ' H / That's why 1 seam' models re; style variations . t one and two but t f i ' .' ; rr * ' '' -L t . ' i ' ' n n . ' 1 * h k The Rose . v ' , .... * -rhuro (a n ppnfieman here who | You will a ?-" * -" v-x. - has a message from Mexico aboul lermo Estn those suits. I have the honoj', gentle* that has men, to introduce, Senor de la Vega." through hii "Ladies," bowed the Mexican. "Gen- trymen sec tlemen, Mr. Chairman. It is with at claim this I appreciation of the honor that I ac countrymeE cepted ,for today the invitation of Mr. his promise Marshall to speak before you, to speak i liver water to you; I must tell you first mj to my natic thought as I sat there and looked al Into the rii you, the youth, the flower of the Amer I gladly did Scan people. A few years ago, wc (privilege, were calling this the great Coloradt suing him. desert; now, the world calls It the complaint." hothouse of America. This theatei His abru " " ' ?-* fttcorl mnprr Is built over the Dones or goiu-seeixeia, ~? who dared death in this dreadec polite ear desert to find what was buried ic phrases. Th those mountains beyond. The man De ,a Vega I say, who crossed this desert, tooh cock, who the haeard of death. It was a coun- (To b tryman of mine who piloted, flfteer yil years ago, a little band of men, across the desert. Perhaps he camped or During t this very 6pot. It is not impossible i Long Cane It is here, perhaps, that he got his deaths: 1 v inspiration. He saw a wonderful ter y births ritory; he dreamed to quicken It with| the useless, waters of th_e Colorado. | ' ,' J ' < " ,; t .;" ?. t- Y* i i i i ' ' H . | ter Styles in . . ' /' f. fA, C I ' . . them when you see ther jok, the fabrics are new ; * ? 4 . - r- ? V ' ' ? a >u come here for your cl< art Schaffner 4 ' . + the styles are right; the ady for you; single and in pockets, lapels, col ton sacks; alll sizes. i . urnishings that o ]o complete your outfitr '' . , . ' t ew hats,, shirts and net ew colorings and fabri osierjf, whatever you nee , * t 1 i * " < * - . now. '' 1 1 . nberg M 11 agree that It was Guil? ida who dreamed the drean? 1 TJ 1 come true1; that it wa? J u that some of your counured their privilege to re- do not and. Later, when one of youi ' T i found he could not fulfill casine ? to you, the promise to de tn unnr rnn(>hp<> hp f*nmp in and got permission to cut j E'er on our territory. Mosl; Porfirio Diaz grant that | For that, today, you are j This, I am told, is youi ? I v V V V V ipt pause betrayed a conmr of voices. Be la Vega's v tried to differentiate the ^ I ere was a jumble of sound, v V V V V looked Inquiringly at Bab? Long Ca waved him on. MrsAj. M. e Continued Friday.) spent Sund "AL STATISTICS. with relativ ;he month of March in Mrs. W. ' Township there were 11 and Mrs. J rhite and 10 colored, and dav evening 2 whites and 5 colored, j Mr. Roy ] E.?R. Miller, Reg. i Kay, were 1 t r i ? \ J ' IvftHAAff WmES&Stiy. V ^^11 1. *' ' * , r'tj fry/fit' Clothing >?, : > - r I . ' '. Is . n; they have a differe f ' . : I. ' 4 md lovely. You'll mal ty ' r i )thes. They are made 1 ; ' . r' ' k Marx ? :V., V ' ' > fabrics all-wool. Wai* double breasted; mai t 9 lars. Good ones too, ' . I ire new * , / ; ' < r J/u ?mere arc :kwear in > V V' ( / cs, shoes? id. Let us j fru I ercantilc ? LOWOUTS t ruin tires if properly repaired. et us examine and advise you befo s. ube repairing, 25c. up;-Casings, 50 MARTIN and PE At City Garag V V. \ V V V V V V V / Beauford V Mr. W .ONG CANE. V Miss Nin VVVVVVVVVVV Wednesdi ne, April 14.?Mr. and Mr> McKellar of the city, the city ay in, this community j es* spent Wt r. King, Mrs. Albert King! Erwin> ohn Cromer spent Tues-; ,jjr j( : with Mrs. T. H. Botts. j wjt"h Mis, Kay and sister, Miss Mary :he guests of the Misses Subscribe i \ - r : -fir ^ 1 ; ill ! CO. re throwing away your c. up. ;nnal. 1 1 011 Saturday night. D. Beauford and dauhgter, a, were shopping in the city ay. d Mrs. T. H. Botts were in Wednesday shopping. j. F. Finley and children idnesday with Mrs. Arthur ' 'is ohn Cromer spent Sunday jjj 3 ?iva i-iniey. to The Press and Burner.