rkmen would give in work."

"They did so," Judge Gordon affirmed.

"There was no trouble until this man came," Sorenson remarked. "I
suppose he felt that he had to show his authority."

"Ah, but there was if not trouble at any rate dissatisfaction on our
part," Pollock stated, tapping a finger on the table. "Construction
wasn't progressing as we knew it should, which was the very reason for
getting a new manager, one who could speed it up. But as I said, it
all comes down to a question of fact. You gentlemen offer your
workmen's avowals of industry to support your claim; Mr. Weir, on the
other hand, gives us some definite records to back up his side. Here
they are for the last week the workmen from San Mateo and neighborhood
worked--his first week here; and for the succeeding weeks under the
men shipped in; in material used, in cubic yards of concrete
construction, and in percentage of work finished. Examine them if you
please. They show daily and weekly results to be just a trifle less
than double for the corresponding time the imported workmen have been
here. In other words, the new men have, while shortening the time of
completion, given twice as much work for exactly the same wage paid
your Mexicans. In other words, too, your local laborers cancelled our
agreement by their own incompetence."

"Your manager could easily have doctored those records," Sorenson
stated, coldly.

"You scarcely mean that, sir," Pollock instantly replied icily, his
amiability vanishing.

"Come, Judge, we may as well go, I think. We're appealing to a
prejudiced court." And Sorenson arose.

"Our decision to view the matter like Mr. Weir is because his position
is sustained by these facts, not because we're prejudiced, as you
insinuate. But I may add that it would not be strange if we were
prejudiced, as we've become convinced that you gentlemen haven't been
sincere in your attitude towards our company and if anything are
strongly hostile. Any one may be deceived for a time, and we were, but
not permanently. You would have done much better to have recognized
that we have a perfect right to build this project on land that we
bought and with water that we acquired. For it will be built in any
case and in spite of such local opposition as may be made." Pollock
flicked the ash from his cigar with a careful finger. "That is a mere
piece of information or a declaration of war, whichever way you wish
to take it."

"I told you we were wasti