“You run no risk in the present instance,” was Sprague’s confident assurance. “Of course, there is no direct evidence; if there were, the case would be promptly taken to the courts. As a matter of fact, I’m hoping that Mr. Smith will take it to the courts as it stands. But in any event, an appeal to the public will do no harm.”
“All right; we’ll see what Smith says,” said Kendall; and then the patient city editor had his inning.
Leaving the Tribune Building, the chemistry expert went to the nearest telephone and called for the house number of Mr. Robert Stillings, the attorney who served locally for the railroad company and was also counsel for the High Line people. Happily, it was the young lawyer himself who answered the ’phone.
“This is Sprague,” said the down-town caller. “How busy are you this evening?”
The answer was apparently satisfactory, since the big man went on: “All right; I wish you would arrange to meet me in the lobby of the Topaz. Catch the next car if it won’t hurry you too much. You’ll do it? Thank you. Good-by.”
Fifteen minutes later the Government man, writing a letter at one of the desks in the hotel lobby, looked up to greet his summoned visitor, a keen-eyed, self-contained young man whose reputation as a fearless fighter in just causes was already spreading from the little inter-mountain city of his adoption and becoming State-wide.
“I’m here,” said Stillings briefly; and Sprague rose and drew him aside into one of the alcoves.
For some little time after they had drawn their chairs together, Sprague held the floor, talking earnestly and exhibiting a set of the snap-shot pictures. Stillings listened attentively, examining the pictures by the aid of a small pocket magnifier. But when Sprague finished he was shaking his head doubtfully, unconsciously following the example set by The Tribune editor.
“We have nothing definite to go on, Mr. Sprague, as you yourself admit. These people are well within their legal rights. As you probably know, there is no statutory provision in this State requiring the builders of a dam to conform to any particular plan of construction; and, as a matter of fact, there are dozens of dams just like this one—mere earth embankments without masonry of any kind.”
“Do you mean to say that the safety of the entire Timanyoni Valley can be endangered by a structure like this, and that the property owners who are imperilled have no legal recourse?” demanded the expert.