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Bradford, Carlin, Welton and Miss Proctor, however, had established themselves in the extreme bow. Miss Proctor perched on the bitts, while the men stood or leaned near at hand. Occasionally, as the tug changed course, Miss Proctor would utter a little exclamation and thrust her arms out aimlessly, as though uncertain. All three of the men thereupon assured her balance for her.
"That timber adjoins ours," went on Welton. "Sending one ranger to investigate don't seem to help the old man a great deal." "Oh, it may not amount to much," disclaimed Plant vaguely. "But if it does amount to much, it'll be getting one devil of a start," persisted Welton. "Why don't you send over enough men to give it a fight?" "Haven't got 'em," replied Plant briefly.
"You're still doing the Sister Anne toward Washington," said Baker, pleasantly. "This came over the 'phone. I wired Mr. Orde in your name, asking what prospects there were for a speedy settlement. There's what he says!" He flipped a piece of scratch paper over to Welton. "Deadlock," read the latter slowly. "No immediate prospect. Will hasten matters through regular channels. Signed, Orde." "Mr.
"This is my assistant, Mr. Orde," said Welton. "How are the sheep coming on? Mr. Leejune," he told Bob, "rents the grazing in our timber." "Et is not coming," stated Lejeune with a studied calm. "Plant he riffuse permit to cross." "Permit to what?" asked Welton. "To cross hees fores', gov'ment fores'. I can' get in here widout cross gov'ment land. I got to get permit from Plant. Plant he riffuse."
A hard quality of character, hitherto unsuspected, stared from the fat young man's impudent blue eyes. Baker was perfectly polite, and suitably jocular; but he had not much time for Bob; and soon plunged into a deep discussion with Welton from which Bob was unmistakably excluded. On one occasion, too, he encountered Oldham riding down the trail from headquarters.
"You must have been talking to a country lawyer," interrupted Welton, with one of his subterranean chuckles. "Don't do it. They got nothing but time, and you know what your copy book says about idle hands." He crossed one leg and leaned back as though for a comfortable chat. "No, you come and see me, Murdock, and state how much you've been damaged, and we'll see what we can do.
"As I understand it, Baker is really liable on this charge of bribing Plant as much as Mr. Welton is." "Yes; he paid the money." "So that if it were not for the fact that he intends to gain immunity by telling what he knows, he would get into as much trouble as Mr. Welton." "Of course." "Well, don't you know enough about it all to testify? Weren't you there?" Bob reflected.
Now I am sure not. He means it; and he'll do it when this case against the Modoc Company is pushed." "I thought you said Welton would testify?" observed Thorne. "He will. But naturally only if he is summoned." "Then what " "Oh, I see. Baker never thought he could keep Welton from telling the truth, but knew perfectly well he would not volunteer the evidence.
Orde is familiar with the whole situation?" asked Baker. "He is." "Well, there's what he thinks about it even there. You'd better see to that fire protection. It's going to be a dry year." "What's all your interest in this, anyway?" asked Bob. Baker did not answer, but looked inquiringly toward Welton. "Our interests are obviously his," said Welton.
After lunch, which in the manner of trans-continental travellers they stretched over as long a period as possible, they again repaired to the smoking car. Baker hailed them jovially, waving a stubby forefinger at vacant seats. "Say, do Populists grow whiskers, or do whiskers make Populists?" he demanded. "Give it up," replied Welton promptly. "Why?"
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