CHAPTER XVII
THE TRAIL HERD
Kent Williams went to Lazette, and Sanderson spent the interval duringhis departure and return in visiting the cattlemen and settlers in thebasin. The result of these visits was a sheaf of contracts for water,the charge based on acreage, that reposed in Sanderson's pockets.According to the terms of the contracts signed by the residents of thebasin, Sanderson was to furnish water within one year.
The length of time, Sanderson decided, would tell the story of hissuccess or failure. If he failed he would lose nothing, because ofhaving the contracts with the settlers, and if he won the contractswould be valid.
Sanderson was determined to win. When after an absence of a weekWilliams returned, to announce that he had made arrangements for thematerial necessary to make a "regular" start, and that he had hired menand teams to transport the material, Sanderson's determination becamegrim. For Williams told him that he had "gone the limit," which meantthat every cent to Sanderson's credit in the Lazette bank had beenpledged to pay for the material the engineer had ordered.
"We're going to rush things from now on," Williams told Sanderson."Next week we'll need ten thousand dollars, at least."
Sanderson went into the house and had a long talk with Mary Bransford.Coming out, he went to the corral, saddled Streak, and rode to Okar.
Shortly he was sitting at a desk opposite a little man who was theresident buyer for an eastern live-stock company.
"The Double A has three thousand head of cattle," Sanderson told thelittle man. "They've had good grass and plenty of water. They're fat,an' are good beef cattle. Thirty-three dollars is the market price.What will you give for them, delivered to your corral here?"
The resident buyer looked uncomfortable. "I've had orders not to buyany more cattle for a time."
"Whose orders?" demanded Sanderson.
The resident buyer's face flushed and he looked more uncomfortable.
"My firm's orders!" he snapped.
Sanderson laughed grimly; he saw guilt in the resident buyer's eyes.
"Silverthorn's orders," he said shortly. At the other's emphaticnegative Sanderson laughed again. "Maison's, then. Sure--Maison's,"he added, as the other's flush deepened.
Sanderson got up. "Don't take it so hard," he advised the residentbuyer. "I ain't goin' to bite you. What I'm wonderin' is, did Maisongive you that order personally, or did you get it from your boss."
The buyer shifted uneasily in his chair, and did not look at Sanderson.
"Well," said the latter, "it don't make a heap of difference.Good-bye," he said, as he went out. "If you get to feelin' mightysmall an' mean you can remember that you're only one of the pack ofcoyotes that's makin' this town a disgrace to a dog kennel."
Sanderson returned to the Double A and found Mary in the house.
"No go," he informed her. "Maison an' Silverthorn an' Dale haveanticipated that move. We don't sell any cattle in Okar."
The girl's disappointment was deep.
"I suppose we may as well give up," she said.
Sanderson lifted her face to his.
"If you're goin' to talk that way I ain't goin' to love you like Ithought I was," he grinned. "An' I'm sure wantin' to."
"I don't want to give up," she said.
"Meanin'?"
"Meaning that I'd like to have you beat those men. Oh, the miserableschemers! They will go to any length to defeat you."
He laughed lowly and vibrantly. "Well, they'll certainly have totravel _some_," he said. "About as fast as the man will have to travelthat takes you away from me."
"Is victory that dear to you?" she asked.
"I won't take one without the other," he told her his eyes glowing."If I don't beat Silverthorn and the others, an' keep the Double A foryou, why I----"
"You'll win!" she said.
"You are hopin' I will?" he grinned. "Well," he added, as she avertedher eyes, "there'll come a time when we'll talk real serious aboutthat. I'm goin' to tell the range boss to get ready for a drive to LasVegas."
"That is a hundred and seventy-five miles!" gasped the girl.
"I've followed a trail herd two thousand," grinned Sanderson.
"You mean that you will go yourself--with the outfit?"
"Sure."
Sanderson went out, mounted Streak, and found the range boss--EliCarter. Carter and the men were ordered to round up all the Double Acattle and get ready to drive them to Las Vegas. Sanderson told Carterhe would accompany the outfit.
Cutting across the basin toward the ranchhouse, he saw another horsemanriding fast to intercept him, and he swerved Streak and headed towardthe other.
The rider was Williams, and when Sanderson got close enough to see hisface he noted that the engineer was pale and excited.
Square Deal Sanderson Page 17