"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.
For a time Bob was unable to collect his reasoning powers adequately to
confront this new fact.
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