ing to thwart Bryant, but he was scrupulous and
honourable within his understanding. Far more so than Gretzinger, for
instance. Or Charlie Menocal. The thought of the banker's son pulled
Bryant up. Should he mention his conviction that Charlie was the
instigator of the mischief discussed? As he was still in doubt when
his visitor turned the subject, he let it rest.

"The way you're going ahead with your canal, I'm afraid that my chance
of retaining the water is poor, very poor," Menocal said, with a
lugubrious sigh. He drew his fat chin deeper into his coat collar,
tugged at the ice on his big white moustache, and ran his eyes up and
down the long line of moving teams. "And it will cost me a lot of
money." Again the sigh. "I didn't think you could do it; I didn't
think any man in the world could do it. In cold weather, in ninety
days! I said it was impossible. Charlie said it was impossible.
Everyone said it was impossible."

"Everyone except my contractor and me," Lee interjected, smiling a
tight smile.

The other nodded. "Except you, yes. And you're showing us that after
all it's not impossible. I shall never say again that anything is
impossible. If I ever have a big ditch to build, I shall insist, Mr.
Bryant, that you take charge. Then I would say, 'I should like to have
it built so and so, and by such a time,' and sit down at my desk and
think no more of it, knowing it would be built."

Bryant laughed softly. He could not help doing so. That naive avowal
from the one whom he considered his chief enemy tickled his fancy. And
presently Menocal, catching the humour of it, himself began to smile.

"I shouldn't be surprised if we have had a misconception of each
other," Lee stated.

"Ah, _cielos!_ That is nothing less than the truth. What a pity, too,
my young friend, that we could not have found it out earlier. Our
affair, perhaps--we might have reached a satisfactory agreement. This
winter work, it is costing you something."

"A good many extra thousand."

"And, alas, costing me even more! But it is too late now." He made a
tragic gesture. "It has gone too far. Within two or three weeks it
will be settled one way or the other. For you if the weather remains
good; for me if the weather becomes stormy." He again studied the
moving horses along the canal. "For me then--perhaps. You might not
allow even a great storm to stop you, in some way. This winter is
remarkable; there seem to be no storms to happen. You'r