CHAPTER XV
When Clyde Burnaby entered Wade's office, that busy lawyer was muchsurprised. "I thought you had gone away," he said as they shook hands."It beats me how any young woman with the price of an elsewhere canstay in this town in summer."
Clyde laughed as she sat down. She looked deliciously cool, though themercury was in the nineties, and the dusty canyonlike streets were likeovens. "I was on the point of going," she admitted, "but I don't knowwhere to go. I came for some information on another point, Mr. Wade."
"Yes?" said Wade interrogatively. "We carry a very complete stock ofinformation here." He waved a hand at the formidable rows of half-calfand circuit bindings in his bookcase. "What particular shade, model, orstyle may I show you? Something seasonable and yet durable? Here is avery attractive and well-bound ten-pound creation covering most of thecommon or garden varieties of contract, including breach of promise tomarry. Nice summer reading. Or, perhaps----"
"Now _do_ you think any sensible man would break such a promise to me?"she laughed.
"You know the answer already," Wade replied. "You are a verygood-looking young woman--almost as good-looking as Kitty."
"Model husband," Clyde commented approvingly. "Kitty is a darling. Butto come to the point, Mr. Wade, I want some information about Mr.Dunne."
"Casey Dunne?" inquired Wade, with a slight lift of his brows. "Whathas he been doing? What do you want to know about him?"
"I want to know about his business affairs--or perhaps I should say hisbusiness troubles."
"Why?" Wade asked bluntly, eying her with curiosity.
Clyde's colour heightened a little but she met his gaze directly. "Ihad a letter from him," she replied, "in which, among other things, hereferred to his troubles with the railway company that owns land in hisdistrict--troubles about water. It seems to be a serious matter."
"How did he happen to write you about it?" asked Wade. "Do youcorrespond? I beg your pardon. It's none of my business, but Caseyisn't given to telling his troubles."
"I think," said Clyde, "I had better tell you how I first met Mr.Dunne." She did so, considerably to Wade's surprise.
"That's just like Casey all through," he commented. "Close as a clam.Never told me about meeting you before. And so he lent you ten dollars!You!" He chuckled at the idea. "Well, later he may have a use for thatsame ten."
"You really mean that? If money would help him now----"
"It isn't necessary just yet. I'll tell you how matters stand." He didso with brevity and lucidity. "The situation now is that the governmentleaves the right to water to be determined by the courts. The courtwon't sit till some time in September. So there you are. Meanwhile thecompany is trying to take the water and the ranchers are trying toprevent them. So far nobody has been hurt, but I'm afraid, with thebitterness which is sure to develop, there may be serious trouble atany time."
"Mr. Dunne and his friends have not funds for a long legal fight?"
"No. Casey himself is land poor--that is, he has put every dollar hecould rake together into land. He will either go broke or make akilling. The others have good ranches, but no money. And they can'traise any on their land, for nobody would lend under these conditions.Their very existence is involved."
"I have plenty of money," said Clyde. "More than I know what to dowith; more than I can ever spend, living as I do. I will give you acheck now for whatever sum you require to take this case to the veryhighest court."
"That's a very generous offer," said Wade, "but I can't accept it. It'snot merely a case of lack of the sinews of war. It's a case of a hugecorporation against a few individuals with as little influence as theyhave money. You might put up law costs to an enormous extent uselessly.You see, you would be bucking Western Airline. Your respected unclemight do that, but you can't."
Clyde's smooth forehead wrinkled thoughtfully. But she merely said: "IfI can do anything--with money or in any other way--for Mr. Dunne andhis friends, I'm ready to do it."
"I don't know what you can do just now," said Wade. "I'm going on avacation for a few weeks. Most of it I intend to spend out in that partof the country. When I return I'll know more about it."
"Is Kitty going, too?" Clyde asked.
"She wants to, but I don't like the idea. It's a little rough there.I'd prefer her to go where she'd be more comfortable."
"She wouldn't enjoy it alone."
"Suppose you keep her company," Wade suggested. "She'd be delighted."
"Suppose," said Clyde, "we both keep you company?"
"Eh!" said Wade.
"Well, why not? We're both sick of dressed-up summer resorts. I want tosee this country of Mr. Dunne's. We can rough it if we have to. We'llhave a camp or take a house--we'll get along somehow."
"Oh, nonsense!" Wade objected. "You wouldn't like it. It's as hot asperdition in the daytime. You'd be sick of it."
"If we don't like it we can leave. If Kitty will go and doesn't objectto me, will you take us both?"
"You'll both go if you want to, whether I say 'no' or not," said Wade."Is this a put-up job? Have you fixed it with Kitty?"
"Not yet," said Clyde, her eyes twinkling, "but I'm going to."
From Wade's office Clyde went straight to the headquarters of the HessSystem, finding its chief in the act of leaving.
Jim Hess was big, carelessly dressed, kindly faced, and the gray of hisclose-clipped moustache was yellowed by smoke. He sat down and motionedhis niece to a seat, his hand mechanically searching for a cigar.
"Well, young lady, what's the trouble?" he asked.
"I want about fifteen minutes of your time, Uncle Jim."
"Easy," Hess commented. As a rule he was sparing of words. "I wasafraid you wanted to borrow money." Nevertheless he eyed her shrewdly.She was a great favourite of his, and he devoted much more time to heraffairs than she suspected.
Beginning at the beginning, she told him of Casey Dunne, her meetingwith him, the water trouble, and the attitude of the Western Airline.Her memory was good and her understanding excellent. Therefore she wasable to state the case clearly.
"This Dunne and his friends," Hess commented, "seem to me to be upagainst it."
"I thought that you might be able to do something to help them."
"What?"
"I didn't know. But you are a railway man. You may have some influencewith Mr. York or his directors. Perhaps you might bring influence tobear."
Hess smiled grimly. "Old Nick has more influence with York than I have.He crosses the street when he sees me. I like him about as much as helikes me. He's boss of his own show--his directors cut no ice. Anyway,it's none of my business. I've no excuse for butting in." Her faceshowed her disappointment. "I'm sorry," said Hess. "I'd do anything Icould for you, little girl, or for any one who ever did you a goodturn. But you see how it is. I can't ask favours of York and his crowd.If I did they'd only refuse."
"Of course not--if it's that way," Clyde acknowledged. "I didn't know.I thought you might be able to do something or suggest something."
Hess was silent, smoking meditatively, drawing aimless lines on ablotter. "Got much money loose?" he asked suddenly.
"Plenty," Clyde replied. "Why?"
"Well," said Hess slowly, "just at present Western Air looks to me likegood buying."
"Does it? I'll buy a little, if you say so."
"Don't say I said so; don't mention my name. Tell your brokers to buyquietly at the market just as much as you can stand. Tell 'em to buytill you countermand their instructions. I'll let you know when to dothat. Tell 'em to buy at the present market. If the price breaks keepon buying. And if you go away anywhere let me know where a wire willget you."
"Thanks, Uncle Jim," said Clyde. "You think Western Air is a goodinvestment, then?"
"I didn't say that--I said it was good buying," said Hess. "It's nothigh now. Some day"--he hesitated--"some day it ought to be worth asmuch as Hess System--as much as one of our own stocks."
With this prophecy, which he appeared to re
gret, Jim Hess patted hisniece on the shoulder, told her not to worry about other people'stroubles, and departed to keep his engagement.
Clyde immediately rang up Mrs. Wade, and, finding her at home,proceeded there at once, to "fix" matters; a thing by no means hard toaccomplish, for Kitty Wade found the prospect of a lonesome vacationvery unattractive, and was a willing conspirator.
"We'll just _make_ Harrison take us," she declared. "We'll have allsorts of a good time, too, riding and driving and fishing and whateverelse they do. Won't it be a relief not to have to dress up? And I'll bean ideal chaperon, dear, upon my word."
"Oh, my liking for Mr. Dunne hasn't reached that stage," laughed Clyde,flushing a little, but too wise to pretend density. She had ever foundthat the best defence against such badinage lay in frankness. "Butdon't leave me alone with him, Kitty. It might end with his endowing mewith his name and worldly goods. 'Mrs. Casey Dunne!' Euphonious, don'tyou think? I wonder if I should like to hear myself announced in thatway?"
Kitty Wade glanced at her narrowly. Clyde's face expressed nothing butlaughing amusement.
"Harrison has a high opinion of him," she said. "I believe his fatherwas supposed to be wealthy until after his death, when Mr. Dunne was aboy. And he is very presentable. I think he deserves a great deal ofcredit."
"So do I," Clyde agreed heartily. "I told Mr. Wade that I was preparedto furnish whatever money was needed for this lawsuit of Mr. Dunne's."
"You did!" exclaimed Mrs. Wade. "Why, Clyde whatever for? How does itconcern you?"
And Clyde told her for the first time of her first meeting with CaseyDunne.
"And you never told me!" Kitty Wade commented, as her husband had done."It's a real romance in real life. But I think you are the mostgenerous girl I ever heard of. If you were in love with him, of coursethat would explain it. Aren't you, now--a little?"
"I'm not in love with him, Kitty--honestly I'm not," Clyde responded."I don't know whether I shall ever be or not. He did me a service whichI would like to repay. I have more money than I know what to do with.If money would help him over a rough place it was up to me. At least,that's how I looked at it. And as for going out to his country--why, Iwant to, that's all. I want to see the country which produces that sortof man. He's different from the others, somehow. I don't think he careswhether I have money or not. He wasn't going to recall himself to metill I practically recognized him. I know I'm good-looking and I knowhe knows it, but I don't think he cares. And he'd never have written mein this world or told me a thing about it himself if I hadn't writtenhim first and asked him to."
"Why, Clyde!" Kitty Wade exclaimed in amazement.
"That's exactly what I did," Clyde asseverated. "If I were in love withhim that would be the last thing I'd own up to, wouldn't it? Heavensabove! Kitty, I know it's unmaidenly by all the old standards. You'remarried; you have your husband and your home and your interests. I havenone of these things. You can't realize how utterly purposeless andidle and empty my life is. Just killing time. That was well enough afew years ago, and I enjoyed it. But now I'm as old as you are. I wantsomething different from the daily and yearly round of sameness. If Iwere a man I'd work sixteen hours a day. If I had any special talentI'd cultivate it. But I haven't. I'm just an ordinary rich girl, indanger of physical and mental stagnation--in danger of marrying someequally rich man whom I don't love, in order to provide myself with newinterests."
"Casey Dunne is a new interest, I suppose," said Kitty Wade dryly.
"I wish you wouldn't, Kitty," said Clyde.
"Then I won't," said Kitty Wade, "for I think you believe what you say.Which," she added to herself, "is more than I do, young lady."
Desert Conquest; or, Precious Waters Page 15