Oldham rose.

“I tell you this, young man,” he said coldly:  “you can prosecute the Modoc Company or not, as you please—­or, perhaps, I should say, you can introduce your private testimony or not, as you please.  We are reasonable; and we know you cannot control government prosecutions.  But the Modoc Company intends that you play no favourites.”

“I do not understand you,” said Bob with equal coldness.

“If the Modoc Company is prosecuted, we will make it our business to see that every great land owner holding title in this Forest is brought into the courts for the same offence.  If the letter of the law is to be enforced against us, we’ll see that it is enforced against all others.”

Bob bowed.  “Suits me,” said he.

“Does it?” sneered Oldham.  He produced a bundle of papers bound by a thick elastic.  “Well, I’ve saved you some trouble in your next case.  Here are certified copies of the documents for it, copied at Sacramento, and subscribed to before a notary.  Of course, you can verify them; but you’ll find them accurate.”

He handed them to Bob, who took them, completely puzzled.  Oldham’s next speech enlightened him.

“You’ll find there,” said the older man, tapping the papers in Bob’s hand, “the documents in full relating to the Wolverine Company’s land holdings, and how they were acquired.  After looking them over, we shall expect you to bring suit.  If you do not do so, we will take steps to force you to do so—­or, failing this, to resign!”

With these words, Oldham turned square on his heel and marched to where Saleratus Bill was stationed with the horses.  Bob stared after him, the bundle of papers in his hand.  When Oldham had mounted, Bob looked down on these papers.

“The second line of defence!” said he.

XIX

Bob’s first interest was naturally to examine these documents.  He found them, as Oldham had said, copies whose accuracy was attested by the copyist before a notary.  They divided themselves into two classes.  The first traced the titles by which many small holdings had come into the hands of the corporation known as the Wolverine Company.  The second seemed to be some sort of finding by an investigating commission.  This latter was in the way of explanation of the title records, so that by referring from one to the other, Bob was able to trace out the process by which the land had been acquired.  This had been by “colonizing,” as it was called.  According to Federal law, one man could take up but one hundred and sixty acres of government land.  It had, therefore, been the practice to furnish citizens with the necessary capital so to do; after which these citizens transferred their land to the parent company.  This was, of course, a direct evasion of the law; as direct an evasion as Baker’s use of the mineral lands act.