Elijah had no difficulty in securing options on the land which he and
Mrs. MacGregor had selected. They had, however, underestimated the
apathy of the Mexican owners, who, while perfectly willing to give
options with no preliminary payments, were adamant as to the length of
time to which the options should be extended.
Mrs. MacGregor smiled reassuringly upon Elijah when he had stated his
difficulty.
"The time is ample. I have some means at my command."
Elijah asked no questions and she tendered no explanations. When,
however, the time passed by and the deeds came to be actually
transferred, his unasked questions were answered. Not a cent of the
money, not a single negotiable paper which went into the preliminary
payments, was in Eunice MacGregor's name, except that as by power of
attorney, she had acted for her absent ward. Elijah, remembering his
transactions with the Pacific bank, could say nothing.
Mrs. MacGregor had only one more obstacle to overcome. At first, as
guardian, later as trusted financial agent, with full power of attorney,
she could manage her ward's fortune as she would; but at any time this
power might be dissolved and she be called to a full accounting. This
done, and it was a continual menace, Mrs. MacGregor would be in no
position either to take or to demand a share in her ward's investments.
She proposed to remain in this doubtful position just as short a time as
possible. A deed to a property bought with her ward's money, would leave
no scattering crumbs which she could gather for herself. With the deed
made over to a company, the case would be different. Her ward's money
would in this case, lose its identity. A ten per cent interest in a
capitalization of two millions, could be balanced with two hundred
thousand of its stock at par, and leave Elijah and Mrs. MacGregor to
repay themselves for their efforts. This was earnestly talked over
between the two. Elijah was not at all easy in his mind; but he could
say nothing. He had tried; but he was no match for Mrs. MacGregor's
polished logic.
Mrs. MacGregor not only made no objections to including Helen Lonsdale
in their arrangements, but had on the contrary, kept her interests a
prominent figure in their transactions. She had no question but that in
this way she would bind Helen closely to herself.
"Look at the facts squarely," said Mrs. MacGregor to Elijah. "Your
supply of water is almost here. There is only a small hill between the
main canal of the Las Cruces and us. A few thousand dollars will tunnel
the mountain. A few thousand more will take the water within reach of
every hundred acres. We have given three hundred thousand dollars for
this land. Even at fifty dollars an acre, it is worth ten million
dollars. My ward's two hundred thousand dollars will grow to one million
dollars. Isn't that a justification for you and me as well?"
Elijah shook his head.
"If it should fail?"
"If," Mrs. MacGregor emphasized the conjunction, "is one of the first
steps toward failure. You could go to Ysleta tomorrow, and sell this
whole property, as it stands, for twice the amount we have paid down for
it, even including the mortgage of one hundred thousand."
Elijah was thinking aloud.
"With your four hundred thousand, you could repay your ward in full. You
and I would then have one hundred thousand each. I could,--" he paused
and then the words shot forth, "replace the fifty thousand I borrowed,
and be a free man."
Elijah and Mrs. MacGregor were being enlightened as to each other. Mrs.
MacGregor had not thought to have Elijah lean so heavily upon her; he
had never supposed her to be so cold and heartlessly unprincipled.
"We are coming to no conclusion as to our next move." Mrs. MacGregor
spoke with polite impatience.
"What do you propose?"
"We must organize a company."
"But we have no charter."
"We can get one."
"It will take time."
"We can make it as short as possible."
The matter of the charter was dropped for a time, to be discussed at
intervals during the days that followed; but no conclusion was reached.
Mrs. MacGregor was scheming; Elijah waiting for guidance. The guidance
came, though not in the way Elijah would have chosen; but he was yet to
learn that when we make our conditions, guidance is certain to come in
the form of a dilemma with an imperative choice.
As Mrs. MacGregor and Elijah were again seated on the verandah and again
discussing ways and means, a wagon stopped at the door, and from it
alighted a brisk, self-sure man. He walked up the path, with a jaunty
air and stopped at the foot of the verandah steps.
"Hello, Berl," he called out. "Fine place, this."
Elijah felt an involuntary tightening around his heart as he recognized
Mellin, the ex-cashier of the Pacific bank. He returned the greeting, at
the same time rising.
"Come up and have a chair."
Mellin tipped his hat back on his head, strode up the steps, and seating
himself, spread his legs wide apart, and leaning forward with hands
loosely clasped, rested his elbows on his knees.
"Mrs. MacGregor, Mr. Mellin," Elijah waved his hand from one to the
other.
"Pleased to know you, Mrs. MacGregor. From the East, I take it?" Mr.
Mellin revolved his head jerkily toward his newly made acquaintance,
ending with a decided bob.
Mrs. MacGregor bowed slightly in return, but vouchsafed no word.
Mellin revolved his head toward Elijah, at the same time glancing at his
watch which he clicked together and returned to his pocket.
"I came to see you on a little business matter, Berl; can I have a few
minutes?"
Upon this blunt hint that she was not wanted, Mrs. MacGregor rose calmly
and swept through the open door.
Mr. Mellin drew a huge, black cigar from his pocket, and between initial
puffs, outlined his business.
"Hear you've been taking up a little land deal on your own account?" The
cigar was well under way now and Mr. Mellin braced himself upright with
one hand on the arm of his chair. His face was full on Elijah with a
cunning look.
"Yes," Elijah answered briefly.
"You ain't going to swing it alone, I take it?"
"I haven't thought so far as that."
Mellin wasted no words.
"It takes time and money to get a charter just now. The less money, the
more time; the less time, the more money." He tipped Elijah a knowing
wink.
Elijah made no reply and Mellin resumed briskly.
"I've got just what you want. An omnibus charter that'll allow you to do
anything from a straight deal to skinning suckers. I had a chance to get
it cheap and I'll let you off easy."
"I don't know that I want it." Elijah spoke with deliberation; but his
mind was working rapidly.
"Better take it; I can make it worth your while--either way," he added
with a cunning leer.
Elijah felt a cold sinking of the heart. His chickens were coming home
to roost sooner than he had expected. He recognized the fact that his
note to the Las Cruces, secured by his interest in the company, was in
the nature of a forced loan, after all; that it would sooner or later
compel him to answer some ugly questions to some men in an ugly mood.
The iron-gray face of Seymour rose uppermost in his mind.
"What do you want for your charter?" He steadied his voice with an
effort.
"I'm not going to squeeze you, just because I've got you cinched. That
isn't T. J. Mellin, Esq. 'Live and let live'; that's my motto; only live
well while you're at it. We're a long time dead."
"What do you want for your charter?" Elijah repeated.
"Well," Mellin looked meditatively at the burning end of his cigar which
he turned toward himself,--"I'm in need of a little cash just now. A
matter of five thousand. One hundred thousand on time, in addition, will
do."
"You won't get it. I'm not obliged to take your charter." Elijah's jaws
snapped together, his eyes were narrowed to a slit.
"Just as you say, Berl. There are worse places than San Quentin. You and
I would be taken care of there, at no expense to ourselves."
The state penitentiary had never seemed a reality to Elijah before. His
face paled. Mellin noted the look with evident satisfaction.
"It's nothing to get white over. There's a heap more money near the
doors of San Quentin than anywhere else. The closer the doors, the
larger the heap. It takes a little more courage to grab it and run,
that's all. I've tried it before."
"Will you take the one hundred thousand in stock?"
"That would be easy; too easy for me. No stock, thanks. Five thousand
cash, one hundred thousand in a six months, ten per cent note. First
mortgage note. I'm prepared to deliver the goods." He drew a large
envelope from his pocket, pulled out the charter and held it open before
Elijah. "Omnibus goods. A license to pick the gilt knobs off'n the
doors."
"Suppose I take your offer, what certainty have I that this will end
your demands?"
"My word, Berl. 'Honor among, etc.' You know. Besides, the cinch isn't
going to last always. You're going to be able to square yourself with
the Las Cruces. That'll end me. I could make it unpleasant, but what's
the use? Every one goes in sight of the doors sometimes; but it's only
fools who get inside. I know."
Elijah rose slowly and went into the house. A little later, he returned
and handed some papers to Mellin. They were a note for one hundred
thousand dollars and a draft on a San Francisco bank for five thousand.
In the note was this condition. It would be payable three months after
the water should be turned into the main canal of the Las Cruces
company.
Mellin read the note.
"I object to the conditional payment. The water may never be turned on."
"Then you are welcome to the land."
Mellin thought a moment.
"There's something in that."
"Everything," returned Elijah abruptly. "The company has nothing to do
with this business. They will get the water as soon as possible."
Mellin again looked the papers over.
"Keno. Here's your license. It's worth more; but I told you I would be
easy. So long." He shoved the papers into his pocket and started for the
waiting wagon.
Elijah listened in a dazed dream to the crunch of the retreating wheels.
He was not thinking of his crime nor of his temporary escape from its
penalty. He was thinking of Helen Lonsdale, and of the effect of the
knowledge upon her, should this ever come to her.
Mrs. MacGregor reappeared upon the verandah. Elijah handed the charter
to her.
"We have six months in which to redeem ourselves." He offered no
explanation; she asked none. There was no need. The walls of the house
were thin, and moreover the windows were open.