It was notable that the president and his Manager did most of the talking. The engineer was, for the most part, a silent listener. When appealed to directly he answered briefly, giving such information as he had at his command, and several times his answers caused Greenfield to look at him with questioning sharpness.
Once the older man remarked: "I believe you wrote me, Burk, that
Worth's daughter had arrived and that they are to make their home in
Kingston. Is she likely to prove a factor in the matter of her father's
popularity and influence? Sometimes a woman, you know—"
Burk's cigar shifted to the corner of his mouth and his head was cocked to one side. "Ask Holmes," he muttered with a grin.
"I think you'd better leave Miss Worth out of this, Uncle Jim," said Holmes so sharply that Barbara's name was not mentioned again. Which does not mean at all that Greenfield had dismissed the matter from his mind.
"You have that South Central District survey ready?" he asked.
"I believe the boys have it in shape," answered Burk. The engineer laid a map before them, explained the boundaries of the proposed district, the line of the proposed canal, and on another sheet pointed out the character of the land with the elevations that made irrigation of the larger part of the tract impossible.
"You can vouch for the correctness of these figures, Willard?" asked
Greenfield at last.
"Certainly, sir. Black is one of the best men we have."
"And it is your opinion that it would be a heavy loss to the Company to build this canal and attempt to develop this section?"
"I am sure that it would, sir. The district is practically worthless."