"Yes, sir, certainly," Tom admitted. "However, letting that fellow Duff
put up his tents right on the railroad property would almost make it
look as though the road shared, or at least approved, his enterprise."

"Oh, doubtless you were right to order the fellow off the railroad
property," assented Mr. Ellsworth. "But why did you go to such trouble
to get the men to start new bank accounts and thus send most of their
money out of town?"

"May I answer that question, sir, by asking another?" asked Reade
respectfully. "Did you wish the men to spend it in Paloma?"

"I don't care a hang what they do with it," retorted the general manager
half peevishly. "It's their own money."

"It was you, Mr. Ellsworth, whom I wired yesterday morning, asking that
you send down a representative of a savings bank who could open accounts
with such of the men as desired."

"Yes, and I sent you a couple of bank men. I didn't have any idea,
however, that you'd get the whole town of Paloma by the ears."

"I haven't, sir. I assure you of that. I've hurt only a few parasites
--a flock of human vultures. The decent people of the town don't side
with them."

"I wish I could be sure that we haven't offended the town as a whole,"
mused Mr. Ellsworth, "The good will of the people along our line is a
great asset."