"Well, that's the game to play," said Osterman decisively, "buy
delegates."

"It's the only game that seems to win," admitted Harran gloomily. "Or
ever will win," exclaimed Osterman, a sudden excitement seeming to take
possession of him. His face--the face of a comic actor, with its great
slit of mouth and stiff, red ears--went abruptly pink.

"Look here," he cried, "this thing is getting desperate. We've fought
and fought in the courts and out and we've tried agitation and--and all
the rest of it and S. Behrman sacks us every time. Now comes the time
when there's a prospect of a big crop; we've had no rain for two years
and the land has had a long rest. If there is any rain at all this
winter, we'll have a bonanza year, and just at this very moment when
we've got our chance--a chance to pay off our mortgages and get clear of
debt and make a strike--here is Shelgrim making a deal to cinch us and
put up rates. And now here's the primaries coming off and a new Railroad
Commission going in. That's why Shelgrim chose this time to make his
deal. If we wait till Shelgrim pulls it off, we're done for, that's
flat. I tell you we're in a fix if we don't keep an eye open. Things are
getting desperate. Magnus has just said that the key to the whole thing
is the Railroad Commission. Well, why not have a Commission of our own?
Never mind how we get it, let's get it. If it's got to be bought, let's
buy it and put our own men on it and dictate what the rates will be.
Suppose it costs a hundred thousand dollars. Well, we'll get back more
than that in cheap rates."

"Mr. Osterman," said Magnus, fixing the young man with a swift glance,
"Mr. Osterman, you are proposing a scheme of bribery, sir."

"I am proposing," repeated Osterman, "a scheme of bribery. Exactly so."

"And a crazy, wild-eyed scheme at that," said Annixter gruffly. "Even
supposing you bought a Railroad Commission and got your schedule of low
rates, what happens? The P. and S. W. crowd get out an injunction and
tie you up."

"They would tie themselves up, too. Hauling at low rates is better than
no hauling at all. The wheat has got to be moved." "Oh, rot!" cried
Annixter. "Aren't you ever going to learn any sense? Don't you know
that cheap transportation would benefit the Liverpool buyers and not us?
Can't it be FED into you that you can't buck against the railroad? When
you try to buy a Board of Commissioners don't you see that you'll have
to bid against the railro