第30章

When Annixter arrived at the Los Muertos ranch house that same evening, he found a little group already assembled in the dining-room.Magnus Derrick, wearing the frock coat of broadcloth that he had put on for the occasion, stood with his back to the fireplace.Harran sat close at hand, one leg thrown over the arm of his chair.Presley lounged on the sofa, in corduroys and high laced boots, smoking cigarettes.Broderson leaned on his folded arms at one corner of the dining table, and Genslinger, editor and proprietor of the principal newspaper of the county, the "Bonneville Mercury," stood with his hat and driving gloves under his arm, opposite Derrick, a half-emptied glass of whiskey and water in his hand.

As Annixter entered he heard Genslinger observe: "I'll have a leader in the 'Mercury' to-morrow that will interest you people.

There's some talk of your ranch lands being graded in value this winter.I suppose you will all buy?"In an instant the editor's words had riveted upon him the attention of every man in the room.Annixter broke the moment's silence that followed with the remark:

"Well, it's about time they graded these lands of theirs."The question in issue in Genslinger's remark was of the most vital interest to the ranchers around Bonneville and Guadalajara.

Neither Magnus Derrick, Broderson, Annixter, nor Osterman actually owned all the ranches which they worked.As yet, the vast majority of these wheat lands were the property of the P.

and S.W.The explanation of this condition of affairs went back to the early history of the Pacific and Southwestern, when, as a bonus for the construction of the road, the national government had granted to the company the odd numbered sections of land on either side of the proposed line of route for a distance of twenty miles.Indisputably, these sections belonged to the P.

and S.W.The even-numbered sections being government property could be and had been taken up by the ranchers, but the railroad sections, or, as they were called, the "alternate sections,"would have to be purchased direct from the railroad itself.

But this had not prevented the farmers from "coming in" upon that part of the San Joaquin.Long before this the railroad had thrown open these lands, and, by means of circulars, distributed broadcast throughout the State, had expressly invited settlement thereon.At that time patents had not been issued to the railroad for their odd-numbered sections, but as soon as the land was patented the railroad would grade it in value and offer it for sale, the first occupants having the first chance of purchase.The price of these lands was to be fixed by the price the government put upon its own adjoining lands--about two dollars and a half per acre.

With cultivation and improvement the ranches must inevitably appreciate in value.There was every chance to make fortunes.

When the railroad lands about Bonneville had been thrown open, there had been almost a rush in the matter of settlement, and Broderson, Annixter, Derrick, and Osterman, being foremost with their claims, had secured the pick of the country.But the land once settled upon, the P.and S.W.seemed to be in no hurry as to fixing exactly the value of its sections included in the various ranches and offering them for sale.The matter dragged along from year to year, was forgotten for months together, being only brought to mind on such occasions as this, when the rumour spread that the General Office was about to take definite action in the affair.

"As soon as the railroad wants to talk business with me,"observed Annixter, "about selling me their interest in Quien Sabe, I'm ready.The land has more than quadrupled in value.Ill bet I could sell it to-morrow for fifteen dollars an acre, and if I buy of the railroad for two and a half an acre, there's boodle in the game.""For two and a half!" exclaimed Genslinger."You don't suppose the railroad will let their land go for any such figure as that, do you? Wherever did you get that idea?""From the circulars and pamphlets," answered Harran, "that the railroad issued to us when they opened these lands.They are pledged to that.Even the P.and S.W.couldn't break such a pledge as that.You are new in the country, Mr.Genslinger.You don't remember the conditions upon which we took up this land.""And our improvements," exclaimed Annixter."Why, Magnus and Ihave put about five thousand dollars between us into that irrigating ditch already.I guess we are not improving the land just to make it valuable for the railroad people.No matter how much we improve the land, or how much it increases in value, they have got to stick by their agreement on the basis of two-fifty per acre.Here's one case where the P.and S.W.DON'T get everything in sight."Genslinger frowned, perplexed.

"I AM new in the country, as Harran says," he answered, "but it seems to me that there's no fairness in that proposition.The presence of the railroad has helped increase the value of your ranches quite as much as your improvements.Why should you get all the benefit of the rise in value and the railroad nothing?

The fair way would be to share it between you.""I don't care anything about that," declared Annixter."They agreed to charge but two-fifty, and they've got to stick to it.""Well," murmured Genslinger, "from what I know of the affair, Idon't believe the P.and S.W.intends to sell for two-fifty an acre, at all.The managers of the road want the best price they can get for everything in these hard times.""Times aren't ever very hard for the railroad," hazards old Broderson.

Broderson was the oldest man in the room.He was about sixty-five years of age, venerable, with a white beard, his figure bent earthwards with hard work.

He was a narrow-minded man, painfully conscientious in his statements lest he should be unjust to somebody; a slow thinker, unable to let a subject drop when once he had started upon it.

He had no sooner uttered his remark about hard times than he was moved to qualify it.