Gretzinger turned to Bryant. "Now, Lee, let's get down to brass tacks. You're played out as manager and engineer-in-chief, so it's time for you to step out and give the men who are able a chance to complete the work. I made you one offer; I'm prepared to-day to make even a better one. The bondholders went thoroughly into the subject with me of what they could afford to pay you for your stock and a decision was finally reached to give you ten thousand dollars for your interest in the company. Considering everything, that's exceedingly liberal. I'm authorized to draw a check for that amount to your order when you've assigned the shares." "Not enough," Lee replied. He sat down at his desk, lifted his feet to a window ledge, and held a match to his pipe. "That's the limit." "It's not enough; I need more." "What you need and what you'll take are two different things," the other stated, sarcastically. "Go higher," Lee said, with his gaze upon the window. "Not a cent!" "I owe McDonnell twenty thousand that has gone into the canal. I've put in my ranch, and land I traded for it, and months of work and organization--value twenty thousand; and I figure my present control of things worth twenty thousand more. But let us say fifty thousand. I'll sell for fifty thousand; that gives you my stock at fifty cents on the dollar. Exceedingly liberal, I call it." The look the other directed at him was heavy with contempt. "Ten thousand is all--and make up your mind to that," said he. Then he faced round toward Carrigan, whom he addressed. "I want you to increase the force to double its strength at once, so that the work--" "What are you paying a yard for moving dirt?" "The same as before." "Not to me," Pat responded, complacently. "What do you mean?" Gretzinger demanded, angrily. "It's not enough." "Not enough! You seem to imagine your contract doesn't bind you." Pat slowly uncrossed his knees and stared at the speaker with a countenance of bewilderment. "Now what in the world is the man talking about! Contract? The only contract I had with Bryant was an oral agreement to build the dam and move dirt at a certain day rate per man and per team, terminable at his option. Oh, you mean the first contract to construct the ditch in a year! We tore that up after he got notice from the Land and Water Board." "Well, we'll continue the oral arrangement." "Not any more," said Pat. Gretzinger inspected the coal of his cigarette, replaced the latter between his lips, and glanced at Bryant. But the engineer was maintaining his consideration of objects on the outside of the window. "So you're trying to hold me up," was Gretzinger's remark.