By noon Bryant and Carrigan had concluded their interviews with members of the Land and Water Board.

All of them had listened, asked questions, expressed their regret at the situation in which Perro Creek project found itself, but stated that the Board had no course other than that of executing the law evoked in the case.

They suggested that Bryant bring an action in the courts to test the law; they admitted that his company might be forced into the hands of a receiver; they inquired concerning the possibility of gaining the consent of the adverse party to a withdrawal of his application.

Their hands, however, said one and all, were tied in the matter.
The engineer and the contractor went down the steps of the state house and found a seat on a bench at a shady spot of the grounds.
"Just as I expected it would be," Bryant said, grimly.
He sat humped over, his elbows on his knees and his cheeks between his fists.

His eyes were dull, heavy; he had not closed them during the previous night.