“There’s three or four mossbacks in the lot that are honest,” cut in Welton, “but it’s because they’re too damn thick-headed to be anything else.  Don’t get kiddish enough to do the picturesque mountaineer act, Bobby.  I can dig you up four hundred of that stripe anywhere—­and holding down just about as valuable jobs.  Don’t get too thick with that kind.  In the city you’ll find them holding open-air meetings.  I suppose our friend Plant has been pinched?”

“Not yet,” grinned Bob, a trifle shamefacedly.

“Don’t get the reform bug, Bob,” said Welton kindly, “That’s all very well for those that like to amuse themselves, but we’re busy.”

[Footnote A:  The accounts of one man showed that for a long period he had so disbursed from his own pocket an average of thirty dollars a month.  His salary was sixty dollars.]

XVIII

The following spring found Plant still in command.  No word had come from the silence of political darkness.  His only concession to the state of affairs had been an acknowledgment under coercion that the cattle ranges had been overstocked, and that outside cattle would not be permitted to enter, at least for the coming season.  This was just the concession to relieve the immediate pressure against him, and to give the Supervisor time to apply all his energies to details within the shades.

Details were important, in spite of the absence of surface indications.  Many considerations were marshalled.  On one side were arrayed plain affidavits of fraud.  In the lower ranks of the Land Office it was necessary to corrupt men, by one means or another.  These lesser officials in the course of routine would come face to face with the damaging affidavits, and must be made to shut their eyes deliberately to what they know.  The cases of the higher officials were different.  They must know of the charges, of course, but matters must be so arranged that the evidence must never meet their eyes, and that they must adopt en bloc the findings of their subordinates.  Bribery was here impossible; but influence could be brought to bear.

Chairman Gay upheld his cousin, Henry Plant, because of the relationship.  This implied a good word, and personal influence.  After that Chairman Gay forgot the matter.  But a great number of people were extremely anxious to please Chairman Gay.  These exerted themselves.  They came across evidence that would have caused Chairman Gay to throw his beloved cousin out neck and crop, but they swallowed it and asked for more simply because Gay possessed patronage, and it was not to their interest to bring disagreeable matters before the great man.  Nor was the Land Office unlikely to listen to reason.  A strong fight was at that time forward to transfer control of the Forest Reserves from a department busy in other lines to the Bureau of Forestry where it logically belonged.  This transfer was violently opposed by those to whom the distribution of supervisorships, ranger appointments and the like seemed valuable.  The Land Office adherents needed all the political backing they could procure; and the friends of Chairman Gay epitomized political backing.  So the Land Office, too, was anxious to please the Chairman.