“Right!”
Locating the G.M., Slade found him with a clouded brow and a worried look.
“Things aren’t going right at all,” he growled. “The men are nervous and jumpy and fumbly. They hesitate to put a pick in the ground for fear of what might happen. Apprehensive about everything they do. And the work is suffering in consequence. Blankety-blank Plant and Jorg!”
Slade nodded without further comment; he was gazing southward, his eyes thoughtful. Dunn regarded him expectantly. He had learned to respect El Halcón’s silences, knowing that they usually presaged something important. He was not disappointed in the present instance. Slade abruptly turned to face him.
“A wild country down there,” he said, gesturing to the south. “Wild and rugged, but with great potentialities that will be realized with modern transportation. Cattle, wool, wheat, cotton, and other agricultural products. You used wise foresight in planning your line to Chihuahua City.”
“So I figured,” Dunn replied complacently.
“Of course you know,” Slade continued, “that the M.K. Railroad contemplates a line south and west from Del Rio?”
“Of course,” Dunn nodded. “Doesn’t bother me. They’ll be on the other side of the mountains and won’t encroach on our territory. No danger of them cutting in on our trade.”
“Perhaps,” Slade said. “Are you familiar with the country down there, Mr. Dunn?”
“With the survey line, yes,” the G.M. replied.
“Ever hear of the Cienaga Pass?” Slade asked.
“Why, no,” Dunn answered.
“The same applies to most people up here, and to the majority south of the Rio Grande, for it is not really a pass at all, being unapproachable from the east for horses or carts. It’s a canyon that runs right through the mountains, from east to west. As I said, it cannot be negotiated from the east, for it boxes on the east by perpendicular cliffs, not very high but unclimbable.”
“Then what good is the darn thing?” Dunn asked, although Slade was convinced that his quick mind had already grasped the implication.
“For nothing as is,” Slade replied. “But with modern excavation methods it would be no great chore to dig and blast an opening on the east. Then you’d have an almost water-level route through the mountains, not far south of the Rio Grande, and a straight shoot to tap the territory you hope to exploit.”
“And you think—” Dunn began, his eyes snapping.
“I rather more than think,” Slade answered. “As it happened, last year, before you revealed your intention of a line to Presidio and on to Chihuahua City, I was trailing a certain gent I thought used the canyon for a shortcut. I was mistaken in that, as I realized when I came up against the box end of the canyon. But,” he added impressively, “while I was in there, I saw stakes and other unmistakeable evidence that a survey line had been run through the canyon. Right then I was at a loss to comprehend what it meant. Wasn’t much interested, anyhow. Had other matters in urgent need of attention. But when I heard you had started this line and received the letter you wrote Captain Jim, I began to get an inkling of what it might mean, having already heard of the M.K. plans to build south and west from Del Rio. So you see it may not be either Jorg or Plant who is responsible for your troubles. You are familiar with the M.K. methods and know that ethics is just a word they may have noted in the dictionary. Beginning to get the notion?”
Dunn swore with explosive violence. “You’re blasted well right I am,” he growled.
“So,” Slade concluded, “you may have something in the nature of a railroad building race on your hands. The first to get through to Chihuahua will be in a position to negotiate mail, express and shipping contracts. Delaying tactics may well be in order, something you have encountered before.”
“Uh-huh, and a couple of times you pulled the fat out of the fire for me,” Dunn said. “Now you’ve really got me bothered, for I never knew anybody who could sum up a situation faster or more accurately. I’m afraid you’re right this time, too. Confound it! I can’t fight fire with fire. I’m just not made that way.”
Slade nodded sober agreement. Jim Dunn was a square-shooter and would never stoop to unethical practices no matter how great the provocation.
“You going to stick around?” Dunn asked.
“That’s what I’m here for, is it not?” Slade countered. “I was sent here to investigate your complaint of unlawful activities going on in this section. Last night was an example of sabotage that might well have cost one or more lives. As a Texas Ranger that is very much my business, and it is my duty to see, if possible, that the culprits are brought to justice.
“They’ll be brought to justice, all right,” Dunn predicted grimly, “but as to whether they’ll ever stand trial is problematical. I’ve noticed that in such cases, El Halcón is quite often judge, jury, prosecutor and executioner. Well, often that’s the only way to do it, so more power to you. Now I suppose you’ll need an excuse to stick around, so how about taking charge of things here? After all, I have a few more things to think about other than this blasted feeder; I’ve been away from the main office too long as it is. Although you’re not working at it, I don’t believe there’s a better engineer in Texas, and you have a rare knack, something born to, not acquired, for inspiring men to be fiercely loyal to you. Already the boys admire and respect you for what you did last night, and I’m confident you won’t have any trouble with them.”
“Thank you for your confidence in me, sir,” Slade replied. “But don’t you have a field engineer on this job?”
“Yes, I have,” Dunn replied. “John Butler, a first rate construction man, but I’m afraid he doesn’t get the work out of the boys he should. He’s down at Presidio right now, superintending the construction of the approaches for the bridge across the Rio Grande, a highly important project as you well know.”
“Decidedly so,” Slade conceded. “Did Butler run the surveys for the approaches?” Dunn shook his head.
“There’s another example of the bad luck that’s been dogging me ever since I conceived this project,” he said. “The surveys were run by Potter Quigley, a good bridge engineer, but right after he finished that part of the chore he took sick and quit. Said the climate down here would kill him if he stayed. Could be; it is a devil of a section for anybody not accustomed to such conditions. I was planning to try and transfer another man here, later, although it would disrupt other work to do so. Now with you here I don’t have to worry about that, if you’ll take over.”
“Perhaps Mr. Butler won’t take kindly to being superceded, which is what it amounts to,” Slade suggested. Dunn chuckled.
“Well,” he said dryly, “having seen you in action a few times, I predict that if his dissatisfaction proves too vocal he is liable all of a sudden to wonder how come the sky fell in on him.”
Slade laughed. “I’ve a notion Mr. Butler and I will make out together,” he replied. “Yes, I’ll take over the chore—gives me a chance to keep my hand in, as it were.”
“Still planning to go in for engineering?” Dunn asked curiously.
“Oh, sure,” Slade admitted. “After a while, when I decide to leave the Rangers.” Dunn smiled and did not comment.
“Come on over to the car and I’ll give you your authority,” he said.
FOUR
IN THE PRIVATE CAR the General Manager scratched away busily with a pen for a few minutes. He read over what he had written, affixed his signature, and handed the paper to Slade, who glanced at it, folded it and stowed it in a pocket.
“That should hold you,” Dunn said cheerfully.