's right to
look over the list of stockholders and bondholders of record; also, the
board of directors and the minutes of the previous meetings. You may
not find John Parker's name listed either as stockholder, bondholder or
director, but you might find the First National Bank of El Toro,
represented by the cashier or the first vice-president of that
institution. Also, if I were you, I'd just naturally hop the rattler
for San Francisco, hie myself to some stockbroker's office to buy this
stock, and while buying it look over the daily reports of the stock
market for the past few years and see if the figures suggested anything
to me."

"Anything else?"

"Thus endeth the first lesson, Miguel. At that it's only a vague
suspicion. Get out of my way, boy. I'm going out to build a dam and
you're not ready to stop me--yet."

"Bill, I'm serious about this. I want you to cease operations."

Bill Conway turned upon him almost angrily. "What for?" he demanded.

"I own the Rancho Palomar. I forbid it. I have a good and sufficient
reason."

"But, son, I can finance the confounded dam. I have it financed
already."

"So have I--if I cared to accept favors."

Bill Conway approached and took his young friend by each shoulder.
"Son," he pleaded, "please let me build this dam. I was never so plumb
interested in any job before. I'll take a chance. I know what I'm
going to do and how I'm going to do it, and you aren't going to be
obligated the least little bit. Isn't John Parker stuck for it all, in
the long run? Why, I've got that _hombre_ by the short hair."

"I know, but long before you can collect from him you'll be financially
embarrassed."

"Don't worry. I've been a miser all my life and I've got a lot of
money hid out. Please, son, quit interfering with me. You asked me to
help you out, I accepted and I'm going to go through until stopped by
legal procedure. And if you have the law on me I'll never speak to you
again."

"Your attitude doesn't fit in with my plans, Bill Conway."

"Yours don't fit in with mine. Besides, I'm older than you and if
there was one thing your father taught you it was respect for your
elders. Two heads are better than one. You crack right along and try
to save your ranch in your way and I'll crack right along and try to
save it my way. You pay your way and I'll pay mine. That's fair,
isn't it?"

"Yes, but--"

"Fiddlesticks; on your way. You're wasting your breath ar