“But you have done your worst! I, who helped to make you what you are, who created you thought by thought, I will tear you down. For the thing you are, a monument to greed and self, I shall tear you down stone by stone until the river is once more sweeping majestically down to the sea. As God is my witness, this thing the vultures have created shall be forgotten. The Eagle’s wing shall shadow the Colorado, a river undefiled.”
His voice ceased. He stood, hands clenched beside him, jaw squared, staring at the dam that had been his dream. A dream fulfilled,—and hated in the fulfillment. His lips moved, muttering the prophecy of Johnny Buffalo:
“‘You will succeed, and fail in the succeeding. And from the failure,—’”
A gloved hand was laid in friendly fashion on Peter’s shoulder. He turned and looked into the eyes of his Governor.
“It takes a big man, a man of broad vision, to look upon his life’s work and dare to say what you have said,” the Governor told him kindly, the look of understanding in his eyes. “Don’t be down-hearted because your success has proved a failure. The Cramer Dam would hold, I believe, if we wanted it to hold. But you are right. It is not for the vulture, but for the Eagle to say what shall be done with the river. The country needs more men like you, Peter. You shall help to build another dam—and build it under the Eagle’s wing.”
Peter lifted his right hand and laid it upon the shoulder of his Governor. His eyes were very blue and very deep. So they stood for a space and looked into each other’s eyes.
“‘—And from the failure rise to greater things,’” Rawley repeated under his breath, his eyes shining.
THE END
NOVELS BY B. M. BOWER