r
ten dollars an acre spot cash or no spot cotton."

"Jenkins"--Bob's fingers were clutching his own knees as though holding
themselves off the rascal's throat--"that is the dirtiest steal I ever
knew."

"That is not near what the water is really worth to you," said Reedy,
nonchalantly. "It is only about 20 per cent. of what your crop will
make--if it does not burn up."

The knots in Bob's arms flattened out, and his tone took on casualness
again.

"Jenkins, I've got a couple of little bills against you that I'm
authorized to collect. One on the American side is a trifle of
$215,000 which you owe Mr. Crill; the other on this side is for $80,000
that you owe Ah Sing. Do you wish to take care of them now? Or shall
I attach your cotton?"

Reedy's pink face and wide mouth took on a grin that fairly oozed
amusement. "Attach my cotton, by all means."

Bob got up, hesitated a second, sat down again, and took out his check
book. As his pen scratched for a moment, the grin on Reedy's face
changed to one of victorious greed. Rogeen tore out the check and
handed it to Reedy.

"There is $1,600. Turn water on the Chandler ranch. As for mine, you
can be damned."

Reedy toyed idly with the check a moment, slowly tore it up, and threw
it in the wastebasket.

"I'm sorry, but I can't get water to the Chandler ranch without the
rest order it, too. Perhaps"--he again took on a leer--"if Miss
Chandler should come in and see me personally, something might be
arranged."

"Jenkins"--the coolest, most concentrated anger of his life was in
Bob's tone--"I know your whole plot. You can't get away with it. You
may ruin my cotton, probably will, but I'm going to smash you and sell
the pieces to pay your debts."

Reedy got to his feet, and flushed hotly. The threat had gone home.

"There are six hundred Mexican soldiers and policemen that will answer
my call. You won't make a move they don't see.

"Don't bank on any threat about the United States Government. Mexicans
have been picking off Americans whenever they got ready for the last
three years; and nothing ever happens. They aren't one bit scared of
the American Government.

"Don't fool yourself, Rogeen; you are outclassed this time. I know
what I'm doing, and I'm going to do it. If you don't want to rot in a
Mexican jail or bleach on the sands somewhere, you'll walk softly and
stay on the other side."

CHAPTER XXVI

When Bob left the Mexican cotton