Belding argued with himself that if Ben Chase and his son, Radford,
had turned out to be big men in other ways than in the power to
carry on great enterprises he might have become reconciled to them.
But the father was greedy, grasping, hard, cold; the son added to
those traits an overbearing disposition to rule, and he showed a
fondness for drink and cards. These men were developing the valley,
to be sure, and a horde of poor Mexicans and many Americans were
benefiting from that development; nevertheless, these Chases were
operating in a way which proved they cared only for themselves.
Belding shook off a lethargic spell and decided he had better set
about several by no means small tasks, if he wanted to get them
finished before the hot months. He made a trip to the Sonoyta
Oasis. He satisfied himself that matters along the line were
favorable, and that there was absolutely no trace of his rangers.
Upon completing this trip he went to Casita with a number of his
white thoroughbreds and shipped them to ranchers and horse-breeders
in Texas. Then, being near the railroad, and having time, he went
up to Tucson. There he learned some interesting particulars about
the Chases. They had an office in the city; influential friends in
the Capitol. They were powerful men in the rapidly growing finance
of the West. They had interested the Southern Pacific Railroad, and
in the near future a branch line was to be constructed from San
Felipe to Forlorn River.
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