in your pocket."

"It would, but it would also endanger the canal."

"Mr. Gretzinger said you asserted that as your reason," she proceeded,
"but he claims there's no more prospect of danger from that source
than from a fly. And anyway, isn't it a matter that concerns only the
buyers afterward? He says so. I don't know much about such matters, of
course, but you really must look after your own best interest
first--and mine. I say mine because mine will be yours after we're
married. Mr. Gretzinger says your share of the saving would be at
least five thousand dollars and possibly more. Lee, do this for me."

"What he proposes is dishonest, Ruth."

"But why? He says the state board would grant the change if proper
representations were made. If the officials allowed it, I can't see
where it would be dishonest."

"The officials would have to be deceived to gain their consent to such
a change," Lee said, patiently. "But the real point at issue is the
permanency of the water system, Ruth. The poor devils who buy the land
and who toil for years to pay for it are to be considered. If the
canal is too cheaply constructed, they'll probably lose their crops;
and losing their crops means ruin. As far as possible an engineer must
insure against this danger when he builds the canal; then if any
accident happens later, his conscience, at any rate, is clear."

"But he says you over-estimate the risk, that wood is perfectly safe.
And he's an expert engineer, too. More experienced than you, Lee."

"You seem to have discussed this thing with him at great length,"
Bryant remarked, dryly.

"I have, indeed I have, because I have your success so greatly at
heart, dear. I want to see you receive every penny that you earn and
all the credit you deserve; I want you to go ahead in your profession
and become both wealthy and famous; but sometimes I think that you're
so absorbed in the engineering part of the work that you're careless
of the future. One has to be practical, too. One has to look out for
one's own interests. And I don't see why your responsibility for the
project doesn't end when you've built the canal, sold the land, and
turned the system over to the farmers. You can't go on looking out for
them after that; you're not answerable to the 'hay-seeds' who settle
here for what may or may not happen. And we shall need the money that
would be saved by using wood instead of concrete, Lee. When you're
through here, we shall want to l