view of the
state of his finances, the course suggested was not one that he could
adopt.

"What kind of people are they?" he inquired.

His companion laughed in an ominous fashion. "Small ranchers, though
it's just possible that there may be some of the big men connected
with the land business behind them. The big promoters occasionally
prefer to act through a dummy. Our object is, of course, to get men
who will cultivate the land, and keep it out of the hands of anyone
who merely wants to hold it. Now, while I'm far from sure my superiors
would be pleased to hear I'd said so much to you, there's one piece of
advice I can offer." He leaned forward and looked at Nasmyth
confidentially. "Get that work through as soon as you can. Once you
lower the level of the river, nobody could compel you to put it back
again. Any man who wanted land would have to buy it as it was."

"A man who wished to start a ranch would naturally prefer it with the
water run out of it."

"Precisely!" argued Nasmyth's informant. "That is why you got the
charter. Still, I wasn't contemplating the man who merely wished to
ranch."

His smile suggested that he intended to say no more upon that subject,
and when he turned and glanced through the doorway into the lighted
room, Nasmyth saw that he was looking at Violet Hamilton. Nasmyth also
noticed that Carshalton was once more seated beside the girl.

"I rather like that Englishman," declared the stranger. "Acton
apparently gets on with him, too. He seems to have been here some
time. In fact, while it's nobody else's business, I've been inclined
to wonder what Miss Hamilton thinks of him."

Nasmyth made no reply, but the observation slightly troubled him. A
little later Acton crossed the hall.

"If you can give us a few minutes, your uncle and I have something to
put before you," he said. "I'll go along with you to my room."

CHAPTER XXV

NASMYTH DECIDES

A shaded lamp stood on the table of Acton's room, and, as Nasmyth
entered, he saw Wisbech, whom he had not met since his arrival,
sitting just inside the light of it in a lounge-chair. He strode
forward and shook hands with his uncle.

"Until I got your letter I almost fancied you were in Japan," he
said.

Wisbech smiled at him. "I shall probably start very shortly. In fact,
I never expected to stay here half so long as I have done, but I found
a good deal to interest me in this country, and it's twenty years
since I have been