“That remains to be seen.” Winton took a leaf from his pocket memorandum and drew a rough outline map. “Here is Denver, and here is Carbonate,” he explained. “At present the Utah is running into Carbonate this way over the rails of the C. G. R. on a joint track agreement which either line may terminate by giving six months' notice of its intention to the other. Got that?”
“To have and to hold,” said Adams. “Go on.”
“Well, on the first day of September the C. G. R. people gave the Utah management notice to quit.”
“They are bloated monopolists,” said Adams sententiously. “Still I don't see why there should be any scrapping over the line in Quartz Creek Canyon.”
“No? You are not up in monopolistic methods. In six months from September first the Utah people will be shut out of Carbonate business, which is all that keeps that part of their line alive. If they want a share of that traffic after March first, they will have to have a road of their own to carry it over.”
“Precisely,” said Adams, stifling a yawn. “They are building one, aren't they?”
“Trying to,” Winton amended. “But, unfortunately, the only practicable route through the mountains is up Quartz Creek Canyon, and the canyon is already occupied by a branch line of the Colorado and Grand River.”
“Still I don't see why there should be any scrap.”
“Don't you? If the Rajah's road can keep the new line out of Carbonate till the six months have expired, it will have a monopoly of all the carrying trade of the camp. By consequence it can force every shipper in the district to make iron-clad contracts, so that when the Utah line is finally completed it won't be able to secure any freight for a year, at least.”
“Oho! that's the game, is it? I begin to savvy the burro: that's the proper phrase, isn't it? And what are our chances?”