That track'll never go through on
schedule--and that's why I'm up here for the winter. It's going to be
a hot little race against time, with some millions for a purse. It'll
break the East Coast Co. if he fails, and"--his voice became oddly
intense--"and I tell you again that it--can't--be--done!"
Then Allison became aware of Caleb's mild astonishment at his vehemence.
"An amateur's opinion, of course, Cal," he laughed, "which is strictly
_entre nous_. But, win or lose, this man O'Mara will be a valuable man
to have around after the thing is decided."
"You said that he reminded you of something," Caleb began rather
heavily. "It recalled something to me, too. I wonder if you remember
a little fishing trip that we took, some ten or twelve years ago,
Dexter, up into the hills? It was to the headwaters of the cast
branch, somewhere in the neighborhood of the Reserve Company's
holdings, I should say."
"Why, yes," the other answered, off-handedly. "Why, yes, now that you
mention it, I do remember. May I ask your reason for speaking of it?"
"No reason in particular," Caleb hesitated. "Only this O'Mara reminded
me of something, too--something that you said, that night at the
camp-fire."
"Well?"
Allison's monosyllable was coolly noncommittal.
"Can you remember what it was?" Caleb asked, positively uncomfortable
now.
"I think I remarked that there was a fortune for some man in that
valley, if he was far-sighted enough.
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