"Not while I've got a horse to ride," said the ranchman significantly.
A few days later the matter of trying the various lawsuits came up. It was a tedious proceeding, with which I will not burden you, but to be brief I will say that Mr. Carson won nearly everything.
It was settled beyond dispute that the Molick ranch had no right to build
the dam and shut off the water from the fine pasture. So that was saved to
Mr. Carson. And not only that, but certain other water rights that Mr.
Molick had claimed, were taken from him, and restored to Bar U.
"That means I can go into the cattle-raising business on a larger scale than ever," declared the ranchman.
Mr. Molick was allowed to retain enough of the water for his own stock, so that his ranch was as valuable as ever. He recognized when he was defeated, and when the court business was over he approached Mr. Bellmore, rather shamefacedly, it is true, and requested that he be allowed to come into the general water and irrigation scheme.
"No, sir!" exclaimed the engineer. "You had your chance and would not take it. It's too late now. All our plans are made and your ranch isn't included."
"Then if you won't take me in I'll sue you and make you."
"Go ahead," was the cool response. "You had your chance and turned it down. We aren't depriving you of any water. You'll have all you need, but you won't have any over, as the rest of the ranchmen will. Go ahead and sue."
Molick did, but he was defeated, and then, as his son Len dared not return to the vicinity on account of the fire indictment, there came an unexpected turn to affairs.
"I hear Molick wants to sell out," said Pocus Pete, coming to the Bar U ranch house a few days after the defeat of the bully's father. "And he'll sell out cheap, too."