Heat shimmered from flat expanses of brush-studded hills, closing in like a heavy fist on the riders. The Rio Grande was behind them as they left Texas and crossed into Chihuahua. Their eventual destination was the capital city, El Paso del Norte, that lay to the northwest.

“Brandon will never be able to finish what he started,” Paco said flatly when they paused beneath the welcome shade of a scrub oak. Rugged hills and canyons stretched red-and-dun folds on each side, high crags gnawing at the horizon like jagged teeth. “Getting rails laid through Copper Canyon will be impossible.”

“I don’t think that’s his main goal.” Steve squinted against the glare of the sun, drew a shirtsleeve across his brow to wipe away the sweat stinging his eyes. “He wants to get his ore to a seaport, and rails are the quickest method of transport. It’s all a cover. He doesn’t give a damn about laying tracks anywhere else.”

“Then the government funding—”

“Will be used for his own private enterprise, is my guess. Thomas Durant is an old crony of his, associated with innumerable accusations of bribery, fraud and scandal, from the president on down through the halls of Congress. He and Senator Brandon make a good team, acquiring venture capital at the expense of everyone else.”

“So how is Brandon going to get his ore to the U.S. without the railroad?” Paco hefted a skin of water to squirt a stream into his mouth before offering it to Steve, then held it out. “By pack mule?”

“Maybe. You know what Copper Canyon’s like, and the country is just as rough going around it. He can take his ore across the border into Arizona, even Texas, but either way, he risks running into Federales always on the watch. It’s my guess when he’s run rails as far as he can, he’ll pack it out of the Sierras to a seaport. With Durant’s help, he’ll end up getting the ore out of Mexico more efficiently, and both men will make enormous profits at the expense of the Mexican government and politicians.”

“What about Terranzos?”

“Right now the governor has his own problems worrying about his future since Díaz came to power. We have to worry more about Gould and Durant providing capital to the senator for his Mexican railroad.”

“Durant—we met him with Murdock out in California, right?”

“He’s an acquaintance of Murdock, but not an affiliate. Sam Murdock prefers not to maintain close association with men identified with virtually every accusation of scandal connected to railroad construction. Durant is as dirty as Senator Brandon, and as adroit at escaping consequences for his actions. With politicians like Brandon behind him, he’ll continue to get wealthier while the people he exploits go out of business.”