The Winning of Barbara Worth eBook

Barbara laughed.  “Oh, there’s no doubt about father.  His departure was regular in every way.”

On his way to the office a little later Holmes chuckled to himself, keenly enjoying the situation.  He mentally pictured the chagrin of Greenfield and Burk when he should tell them what he had learned.  But would he tell them?  He had not told Mr. Worth what he knew of the Company’s survey in the South Central District.  Why should he tell the Company what he knew of Worth’s surveyors?  Once he would have considered that loyalty to his employers demanded that he tell what he had learned.  But now, since he had been assured so very emphatically and very recently that the policy of the Company was none of his business, let the shrewd Manager and the president find out for themselves.  Anyway, he told himself, it could make no difference, for he knew what the result of Abe’s surveys would be and he was glad indeed that Barbara’s father had not walked into the trap set for him.  The engineer had concerned himself not a little about the probable view Barbara would take of his attitude in permitting her father to purchase water rights that he knew to be worthless.  But now Mr. Worth himself would discover the trick of the Company men and it would not matter.

To his surprise and chagrin Jefferson Worth walked into the Company office a few days later and, in his exact colorless voice, said:  “I will accept your proposition Mr. Greenfield.  If you wish we can fix up the contract and close the deal to-day.”

CHAPTER XVIII.

THE GAME PROGRESSES.

The purchase of the South Central District water rights by Jefferson Worth was immediately announced by The King’s Basin Messenger in a lengthy article which began with the modest statement that this was the largest and most important business transaction that had yet occurred in the new country.  The article declared that the name of Jefferson Worth was a guarantee that the new district would be made the richest and most prosperous section of the Basin and that—­ splendid as the undertaking was—­it was only the beginning of far greater things to be wrought by the wizard of the desert whose genius had made him the greatest factor in the reclamation and development of The King’s Basin country.  The work would be begun at once—­as soon as men and teams could be secured.

The thoughtful Manager of The King’s Basin Land and Irrigation Company read the article with a grin, shifted his cigar to the corner of his mouth, cocked his head to one side and sent a marked copy of the paper to the Company’s president.

James Greenfield read the article with the satisfaction of a good business man who sees his competitor heavily over-stocked with a line of goods for which there is no market.  The pioneers in the desert who were not already located, and the newly arriving prospectors read and called upon Mr. Worth for further information.  The article, reprinted in the Rubio City papers, was read by many who, familiar with Jefferson Worth’s business record, took the San Felipe trail for the new district.