Jack pointed out the big man and the doctor said to him:
"What is the matter, my man? Why do you wish to oppose this work?
We do not intend any harm to you or to any one. The railroad
company has given me full authority to make a survey and to build
a branch road. What is your objection?"
"It'll hurt our farms," growled Big Bill.
"Who told you that?"
"Phil Watts, that feller yonder."
"How did you learn this, Watts?" asked the doctor.
"Jim Jenkins told me."
"Well, well, this seems to be all hearsay information," muttered
the doctor. "Where is Jenkins? We must learn where he got his
information. Who is Jenkins?"
"That's me," said one of the men who had hung back.
"And who told you that we were going to hurt your farms by building
the branch road? I do not know of any farms in this section, and
if there were any it would help rather than injure them by giving
you a chance to get your produce to market sooner. Who told you
that it would injure them, Jenkins? I want to get at the bottom
of this affair."
"Well, I wasn't the only one what was told it," growled Jenkins,
glaring around at his companions, "though it's been put up to me as
if I started it. Bill Calthorpe heard it as well as me, an' so did
Phil Watts.
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