line alive.
If they want a share of that traffic after March first, they will
have to have a road of their own to carry it over."

"Precisely," said Adams, stifling a yawn. "They are building one,
aren't they?"

"Trying to," Winton amended. "But, unfortunately, the only practicable
route through the mountains is up Quartz Creek Canyon, and the canyon
is already occupied by a branch line of the Colorado and Grand River."

"Still I don't see why there should be any scrap."

"Don't you? If the Rajah's road can keep the new line out of Carbonate
till the six months have expired, it will have a monopoly of all the
carrying trade of the camp. By consequence it can force every shipper
in the district to make iron-clad contracts, so that when the Utah
line is finally completed it won't be able to secure any freight for
a year, at least."

"Oho! that's the game, is it? I begin to savvy the burro: that's the
proper phrase, isn't it? And what are our chances?"

"We have about one in a hundred, as near as I could make out from
Mr. Callowell's statement of the case. The C. G. R. people are moving
heaven and earth to obstruct us in the canyon. If they can delay the
work a little longer, the weather will do the rest. With the first
heavy snow in the mountains, which usually comes long before this,
the Utah will have to put up its tools and wait till next summer."

Adams lighted another cigarette.

"Pardon me if I seem inquisitive," he said, "but for the life of me
I can't understand what these obstructionists can do. Of course, they
can't use force."

Winton's smile was grim. "Can't they? Wait till you get on the ground.
But the first move was peaceable enough. They got an injunction from
the courts restraining the new line from encroaching on their right
of way."

"Which was a thing that nobody wanted to do," said Adams, between
inhalations.

"Which was a thing the Utah _had_ to do," corrected Winton. "The
canyon is a narrow gorge--a mere slit in parts of it. That is where
they have us."

"Oh, well," returned Adams, "I suppose we took an appeal and asked
to have the injunction set aside?"

"We did, promptly; and that is the present status of the fight. The
appeal decision has not yet been handed down; and in the meantime
we go on building railroad, incurring all the penalties for contempt
of court with every shovelful of earth moved. Do you still think you
will be in danger of ossifying?"

Adams let the question