"
"Name it."
"I do not draw a cent of wages until the first day of October. Then if
I have water in the valley I get it in a block. If I do not have
water--I don't touch it!"
A curious little smile flitted across Mr. Crawford's lips.
"You are in a position to dictate, Conniston. Let it be as you say."
"And now, if you have no immediate orders for me, I want to get to
work. I am going to shift the gang under the Lark out yonder, in front
of the others. He's the best pace-maker I've got."
"Go ahead. I'll be here until noon."
Unconsciously squaring his shoulders as he went, Conniston strode away
toward the ditch.
CHAPTER XVII
At noon Mr. Crawford told the men gathered at the long tables that in
the future they were to look to Conniston for all orders, that he was
empowered to act as he saw fit in any crisis, that he would have
absolute command over every part of the reclamation work, here or
elsewhere. And then he gripped Conniston's hand warmly, gave him an
address in Denver where a telegram would find him, and drove away
toward Crawfordsville, promising to telephone to Brayley to report to
the Valley immediately.
Before he was out of sight the new superintendent called his four
overseers aside.
"What wages are you fellows drawing down?" he asked, bluntly.
"Three bones," the Lark told him.
"Now, look here.
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