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Updated: June 11, 2025
"No; but Ransom was also certain that the Colthwaite plan was the only one that could bring the Man-killer to time." "Have you any other reason to suspect this main?" queried Mr. Ellsworth. "Only the fact that Ransom and Jim Duff have been close friends." "Where does Ransom stop?" "At the Mansion House.
Some of our former men have gone away, but there are about thirty of them left in Paloma, and I imagine that they're ready to be ugly when the chance comes. The agent of the Colthwaite Company is still in Paloma. He has been here ever since we came." "Agent of the Colthwaite Company?" repeated the general manager, opening his eyes. "What's his name?" "Fred Ransom," Tom replied half carelessly.
Duff, I realize that it is a waste of time to try to conceal rather evident facts from you. I am Frederick Ransom, a special agent for the Colthwaite Company." "You are down here to get the contract for filling up the Man-killer quicksand?" Duff continued, with an air of polite curiosity. "The contract is not to be awarded," Ransom answered.
"Your people are ranked as pretty fair engineers," Reade rejoined. "My people? What do you mean, Reade? There isn't an engineer in our family." "No; but the Colthwaite Company employs a good many engineers," Tom suggested. "Colthwaite?" repeated Ransom, now on his guard. "I have nothing to do with that concern." "No?" asked Tom, as though greatly astonished. "Why, that's strange."
Fred Ransom, the other agent, is believed to be still in the employ of the Colthwaite Company's "gloom department." Mr. Hawkins is still in the employ of the A., G. & N. M. So are foremen Bell, Rivers and Mendoza. Tim Griggs proved himself so thoroughly while foreman at the building of the new rail-road hotel in Paloma, that he has gone on to other and better work.
"How long have you been with the Colthwaite Company?" asked Jim Duff presently. "I didn't say that I had ever been with the Colthwaite Company," smiled the stranger. "No," admitted the gambler; "but I took that much for granted." Again the eyes of the two men met in an exchange of keen looks, Then the stranger laughed. "Mr.
"The A., G. & N. M. has decided to do the work itself, with the assistance of two young engineers who have been retained." "Reade and Hazelton," nodded Jim Duff. "Yes." "They may fail are almost sure to do so. Then, of course, Mr. Ransom, you will have a very excellent chance of securing the contract for the Colthwaite Company." "Why, yes; if the young men do fail."
As to the other newcomer, who had lately spoken so warmly of the Colthwaite Company, he was now silent, apparently greatly absorbed in a three-days-old newspaper that he had picked up. Yet he managed to cast more than one covert glance at the boys.
He has vanished, swallowed up in some other community, and nothing more has been heard of him. Trailed by detectives of a fire insurance company, Frank Danes was soon caught and brought back to Arizona. He was fairly convicted of having set the old Cactus House on fire, though he could not be persuaded to admit himself an agent of the Colthwaite Company.
"Incidentally, the Colthwaite people will wonder why it didn't occur to them before to send one of their gloom men to live at the Cactus. Fact is, I've been looking for the chap for more than a fort-night." It was the evening of the day after Harry, who had insisted on trudging up and down the line all day, instead of using his horse, had a touch of heat headache.
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