“So it is necessary to make him move.”
“It is, eh?”
“Yes, and—” Carhart’s eyes were firing up; his right fist was resting in the palm of his left hand—“and we’re going to do it, unless you should think it worth while to forestall us. Possibly you thought I would send a force back to Barker Hills. But I didn’t—I brought it up this way instead. I have three times as many men as your Mr. Flagg has, and a third of them are on the knolls behind Flagg.”
“And the fighting comes next, eh?” said Carrington.
“Either Mr. Durfee will call Flagg off at once, or there will be a battle of the La Paz. I think you see what I am getting at, Mr. Durfee. Whatever the courts may decide, however the real balance of control lies now, is something that doesn’t concern me at all. That issue lies between you and my employer, Mr. De Reamer. But since you have chosen to attack at a point where I am in authority, I shan’t hesitate to strike back. It isn’t for me to say which side would profit by making it necessary for the governor and his militia to take hold, but I will say that if the governor does seize the road, he will find Mr. De Reamer in possession from Sherman to Red Hills. I am prepared to lose a hundred—two hundred—men in making that good. I have left orders for the shooting to begin at noon to-morrow. If you choose to give any orders, the news must reach Mr. Tiffany by that time. I shall start back at midnight, as my horse is tired, and I wish to allow plenty of time. You can find me here, then, at any time up to twelve o’clock to-night.” He rose. “That, Mr. Durfee, is what I came here to say.”
“Wait a minute, Mr. Carhart,” said General Carrington. “Did I understand you to say that you have enough materials on the ground to finish the line?”
“Practically. Certainly enough for the present.”
“That’s interesting. Even to firewood, I suppose.”
Carhart bowed slightly. “Even to firewood,” he replied,—and walked away.
Byers was asleep in a chair, tipped back against the office wall. Carhart woke him, and engaged a room, where, after eating the meal which Byers had ordered, they could sleep all day.