"Do you know the names of any of the owners ?" he inquired.

"I am familiar with some of the lands about there." Mr.Wickersham pondered.

Keith was so ingenuous and eager that there could be no harm in coming to the point.
"Why, yes; there is a man named Rawson that has some lands or some sort of interest in lands that adjoin ours.

It might be well for us to control those properties." Keith's countenance fell.
"It happens that I know something of those lands." "Yes?
Well, you might possibly take those properties along with others ?" "I could certainly convey any proposition you wish to make to Mr.
Rawson, and should be glad to do so," began Keith.
"We should expect you to use your best efforts to secure these and all other lands that we wish," interrupted Mr.Wickersham, speaking with sudden sharpness.

"When we employ a man we expect him to give us all his services, and not to be half in our employ and half in that of the man we are fighting." The change in his manner and tone was so great and so unexpected that Keith was amazed.