e; I count my contract not binding upon your
board under the circumstances."

Pollock arose and began to pace the office, gently beating the air
with his eye-glasses and thoughtfully regarding the floor.

"I should not do your remarkable story proper justice if I did not
give it the serious attention it deserves," he said, after a time.
"Certain aspects of the case would appear to favor our accepting
your resignation, but on analysis, Weir, they turn out to be aspects
only, not real arguments. Assuming the facts are as you relate, which
I personally don't doubt, these men, if they will stop at nothing
to injure you, will be no more reluctant to injure us. In fact, if
you withdrew they would feel that they had gained a distinct
triumph, forced us to yield to their will, and would be inspired to
further and greater opposition. Personal hatred for you on their
part is no ground for their fixing their enmity on the company. But
that enmity, apparently, already existed before you came. Therefore if
they hate you likewise, you and our company have a common bond. And
that assures us of one thing, or several things: your vigilance,
care of company property, and loyalty. Last, and aside from that,
you are, I am confident, possessed of the exact qualities essential to
the successful solution of present difficulties. We prefer as manager
an energetic, determined, fighting man, however much disliked by
envious neighbors, to some fellow less firm and more inclined to
conciliation. The latter never gained anything with out-and-out
foes, from what I've seen. So you perceive, Weir, that when my
associates and I get into a row we're not quitters either. We shall
therefore just dismiss all talk of your resignation."

"Very good; I wanted you to know the facts."

Pollock paced to and fro for a time longer.

"What really interests me is your own fight," he remarked at length.
"If the paper you spoke of should be found, I would be pleased to have
it translated for you. I should also like to consult with this man
Martinez; he seems a clever fellow. You expect to settle with this
quartet who defrauded your father, of course."

"Certainly. But the money isn't the main thing. For no amount of money
would ever pay for the wrong done my father. I want to make these men
suffer, suffer as he suffered. Call it a simple desire for revenge if
you will; that's what it really is. They robbed him of his future as
well as of his ranch and cattle. T