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But he had the keen desire of a tired man to clean up the job and be done, and a pride in keeping faith with himself in accomplishing what he had sworn he should do, build the project in ninety days. He would never have it said by any one that he had failed in that. By Gretzinger, for example. Ruth in particular! She believed that he had already failed when she wrote her letter.
Gretzinger laughed, then tapped the other's shoulder with a forefinger. "Do you imagine for a minute we'll keep the paper?" he inquired. "Well, I should say not! We'll discount it ten, and if necessary twenty, per cent. to make a quick clean-up and be out. A mortgage company in the East will attend to that part of the business.
And she knew it and left me! Oh, Ruth, Ruth!" "And would have left you, storm or no storm, and whether I came or not! In order to be alone with Gretzinger!" Her heart-breaking sobs went on. "Don't weep, Imogene. Put her out of your mind." He gently placed an arm about her shoulders. "Come, I will take you to Louise."
Gretzinger sprang up. "See here, Bryant!" he cried. "Or advertising in the newspapers," the other went on, in a level tone. "I'll attend to your case, quickly and quietly. Here, or in New York, or wherever you are. That's all." Gretzinger had gone a little pale. He was nervously drawing on his cap. "Listen to me for a moment " "I said that's all. Get out." And Bryant's mien brooked no temporizing.
There was considerable talk on her part about being bored with Kennard and how happy she would be when she was married, but it was on the surface. She's really waiting for something I'm not able to divine. I'm reminded when I observe her of a card-player studying a hand before the cards begin to fall." "Where is she to-night? With Charlie Menocal?" "With Gretzinger." "Gretzinger back?"
With considerable relish he rolled the words upon his tongue and nodded at Gretzinger. The latter scowled. "How much do you want?" he demanded. Pat spat, then remained pursing his lips while he engaged in calculation. Once he shook his head and muttered, "Not enough," and again after a time repeated the words.
As he took a final view of the ditch before setting out for camp, events raced through his mind his coming, his first labours, the confused interplay of his life with those of the Menocals, McDonnell, Gretzinger, Carrigan, Imogene, Ruth, and Louise; the months of incessant toil; of brain-racking and body-wearing endeavour to force the canal forward; of unresting strife with frost and snow and earth, of being under a pitiless hammer.
On one of these mornings, when Dave had gone across the street to the engineers' building, Lee informed the contractor that company funds were not far from exhausted and related his talk with Gretzinger before the latter's departure for New York. "So he would squeeze you out," Pat remarked. "What you might expect from him, nothing more!
"If Bryant could have secured a loan, he would have had it in his pocket before this. I made inquiry of McDonnell when I reached Kennard concerning the company's cash account and discovered that it looked awful sick. No, he can't get money for the company except through me." "I see," said Pat. Gretzinger turned to Bryant. "Now, Lee, let's get down to brass tacks.
She sees too much of this Gretzinger and Charlie Menocal and men like them; and the time may come when I'll tremble. I've begged her to be discreet and considerate of your good opinion and love, but she always declares that she's acting eminently proper. Lee." "Yes." "There's something more. Gretzinger's not only finding amusement in her company, he's in love with her.
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