The project must be completed in ninety days." "Ninety days?
Great heavens!" "That's what I said, too," Lee stated, with a smile.

"Several times, in fact.

There is an old law, it seems, that enables interested parties to hold a stop-watch on me." "And what's the penalty if you fail to finish the work in those three months ?" "Cancellation of my water right." "Cancellation?
Surely not." "I tried to convince the Land and Water Board of that in Santa Fe, but made no headway." "How outrageous!" she exclaimed.
The waiter at her elbow recalled her to the requirements of the moment.

Still with a trace of colour in her cheeks, the result of her indignation, she scanned the menu and wrote out her order.
"The thing is so utterably unreasonable," she resumed, more calmly.
"Why did they let you start if they proposed afterward to hang a sword above your head ?" "The Board was ignorant of this law, as was everybody else, until it was brought to light by the applicant for cancellation," said Lee, "a certain Rodriguez, of Rosita." "Who is he ?" Bryant shook his head.
"Don't ask me.

No friend, at any rate." She regarded him steadily for a moment.
"Probably a man put forward by Mr.Menocal." "I suppose so," said he.
"But the idea of expecting you to build all those miles of ditch in ninety days and in the winter time! I wonder that you can be so calm." "Why shouldn't I be calm?
My mind's made up.