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Updated: May 23, 2025
She sprang over to Sara's couch and struck him across the mouth with her open hand. The stillness in the room for a second was complete, except that Sara breathed heavily as he rose to his elbow. "I may or may not have produced the newspaper copy, but so help me the God I have blasphemed, I have never used Pen's name," said Sara. "But you have," said Jim. "You used it before Freet.
Jim never had felt so flattered in his life. And Adventure called to him like a ship to a land-locked mariner. "Gee!" he cried, "but you're good to ask me, Mr. Tuck! Bet your life I'll go!" Tuck emptied his pipe and rose. "I'll go see Freet now and persuade him to get busy with the Chief in Washington. One thing, Manning. It will be a dangerous undertaking. We may not come through alive.
"Why, you know, Mr. Freet, that to run it through Mellin's place will cost $5,000 more and will force half a dozen farmers to double the length of their ditches. The lie of the canal in relation to grade, too, is a half mile east of Mellin's place." Arthur Freet raised his eyebrows. "I think that the canal had better go through Mellin's place." Jim drew a quick breath.
This was Iron Skull Williams, whom Freet had described in detail to Jim and who was to be Jim's right hand. He was an old Indian fighter. The Apaches, Freet said, had given him his nickname because they claimed he would not be killed. Bullets glanced off his head like rain. Williams was an expert road maker and had worked much for Freet in various parts of the west.
"In the old days," he roared, "no man would have lived to ask me that twice!" Jim looked for a long moment into Oscar's eyes, then he drawled: "All right, Oscar, I apologize. Only you'd better leave national politics to your inferiors after this. What's your price, Mr. Freet?" Arthur Freet laughed. "You can't get a rise out of me, Jim! My price is to see these Projects a financial success.
You must get used to the idea, though, that every Project demands its toll of deaths. People don't realize that. Are you willing to go, knowing the risk?" With all the valor of youth and ignorance, Jim answered, "I'm ready to start now." Mr. Freet was not adverse to the undertaking and the Washington office shrugged its shoulders.
Jane suddenly turned, and bowing her head against Oscar's arm she began to sob. "It would have torn my heart strings out to have left you, Oscar." Jim watched the two with eyes that saw none too clearly. Oscar smoothed Jane's hair and shook his head. "No use to tell a woman a secret. Jane, you went and told Mrs. Penelope about Freet, didn't you?" Mrs. Ames wiped her eyes. "You told her yourself.
The older man nodded. Then he said, "What are you going to do about it all, Boss Still?" Jim brought his fist down on the table. "I'm an engineer. I deal with hard facts, not intrigues. Freet must take me so or not at all." "Well, you are half right and half wrong," commented Iron Skull, rising. "What do you mean?" asked Jim.
The next day Freet put in on the dam with Jim. Jim treated him with courtesy, showing him everything that he asked to see. Freet was very complimentary and told Jim he was a credit to his teacher. After a visit to the quarry Jim said suggestively: "You will want to take the six o'clock train, tonight, of course." Freet hesitated. Jim went on dryly.
Freet," said Jim, "my name is Manning." The project engineer came forward with a pleasant smile. "Why, Mr. Manning, we didn't look for you until tomorrow, though your tent is ready for you. Come in and sit down." Jim took the proffered camp chair and after a few inquiries about his trip, Mr. Freet said: "It's supper time and I'll take you over to the mess and introduce you.
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