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Grayson poked around at the exposed sea up small chunks to study Finally the cold temperature drove hi and rubbing his hands together, then blowing on them

“Ready?” Jessy rested her hand on the gearshift

“Wait” He reached inside his coat pocket and brought out a shiny black chunk “Do you knohat this is?”

“Coal” She gave hience

“It’s buried sunshine” His voice was enthusiastic “Coal is the sun’s energy that was trapped in ancient forests eons ago—giant ferns and trees In an endless cycle, plants died and rotted and rew on top of the inland seas The pressure of the water co peat, then coal” He looked at her “This piece of coal holds the energy froo” “Let me see it” With a frown of curiosity, Jessy took a closer look at the ordinary lump of coal

The next , Leo Grayson was in the cool, air-conditioned office of E J Dyson, going over his final report and recommendations In contrast to his previous day’s attire, he was dressed in a lightweight business suit and tie, his head bare and showing the thinning patch at the crown of his brown hair

The executive office of Dy-Corp Develop Texas money from its cloud-white carpet of two-inch-thick pile to its walls paneled with genuine walnut The furniture was thickly padded and covered in the finest-grained leather The walnut desk was Texas-sized, and the big swivel chair behind it was designed especially for its occupant so the slightly built man wouldn’t appear dwarfed by his own desk

Mixed in with the room’s rich appointments were the odd pieces of Texas flash—like the Meissen vase sitting atop a table supported by twisted cowhorns or the spotted horsehide blanket thrown over the back of the leather sofa The office lived up to the ie created by its occupant

Stricklin sat tall and erect i

n the leather-covered side chair, the wire-ri his studious air He completed his perusal of Grayson’s report and passed it to Dyson with a short nod, silently co his opinion to his partner

“I can’t say I’h the report they had already gone over in detail “I had a hunch we had exhausted the potential on Calder’s ranch It’s a good thing I started buying up leases in Wyoo ahead and move the balance of the men and equipment down there”

“Whatever you decide” Leo shrugged His only recommendation had been to abandon the Calder ranch site and not atteo from there It wasn’t his job to become involved in such decisions

“Are you satisfied in your ownafter under any of the land Calder owns?” Dyson pinned the geologist with a hard look to make doubly sure Grayson didn’t have any reservations It was a psychological trick that tested the ment The ones who lacked faith in thee

“The only thing under that ground is a mother lode of low-sulfur coal,” Leo stated with a sad shake of his head “It’s too bad oil is so cheap It cuts into the market for coal”

“Coal?” Dyson lifted his head, showing lance at Stricklin, ashis nails with a pocket knife “What do you mean by mother lode? Is there very much of it?”