Calumet K""

was in its early stages, his eye had been upon it; he had bided his time in the somewhat indefinite hope that something woul

eld for Grady's endeavors. Men who were trying to accomplish the impossible feat of completing, at any cost, the great hulk on the river front before the first of January, wou

ve a color of respectability to the operation, ought to make it simple enough. He had wit enough to see that Bannon was a much harder man to handle than Peterson, and that with Peterson restored to full authority, the only element of u

's boarding-house and sent up his card with as much cerem

r. Peterson. There's a little matter of

a little farther than he could go without a qual

you think it's queer-I think it's queer myself, that I should be coming 'round tendering my friendly services to a man who's had his hands on my throat threatening my life.

Pete hesitated, and then gave up the broke

heir faces: 'Get in there, ye damn low-down privates, and take that fort, and report to me when I've finished my breakfast'? Which one of those two men will the soldiers do the most for? For the one they like best, Mr. Peterson, and don't forget it. And which one of these are they going to like best, do you suppose-the b

e harangue. Now he said: "Oh, I guess Bannon wasn't scar

an unarmed, defenceless m

I don't like th

ey know that you can do anything that they can. But, Mr. Peterson, I'll be frank with you. They don't like the man who c

do anything like that,

the elevator the other day? I guess he won't try that again. I told him t

forgot he was a friend of yours. But the point is right here. The men don't like him. They've been wanting to strike these three days, just because they don't want to work for tha

bout? Don't we treat them all r

the real reason is the one I've been gi

e all right if anothe

ion whether the ice were firm enough to step ou

hoes the way he crowded you out of yours; not even after the way he's treated you. But look here, Mr. Peterson. Who's your d

Year's? They do. Do they pay you to help get it done? They do. Will it be done if that would-be murderer of a Bannon is allow

the last sentence. He flung out his ha

. "It's very kind in you. If that's so as you say, I suppose he'll have to go. And he'll go all right without any sh

drift that he spoke in perfectly good faith when he made the suggestion that he tell Bannon, and Grady went away a

g, he braced himself to tell the boss what Grady had said, but it was not till just as Bannon was g

sors and a watchful eye. There's no use paying any attention to him yet. He thinks he's got some trouble cooking fo

und to see me

e want with you? Wh

ago. That was nothing but a

m! What did h

He wanted to know if I was laid off, a

that

January first. Then he said he supposed it must be for some rich man who didn't care how much it cost him; and I said

a while he spoke thoughtfully. "Well, that cinches it. I guess he

ee," said Peterson; bu

xt time he came around? More in t

he said he was afraid we'd

said Bannon. "Did

was recalled, but he didn't think he could keep 'em from going out if you stayed. That ain't what I think, mind you; I'm just telling you what he said. Then he kind of insinuated tha

ng heard anything, but stood hacking at the pine railing with his pocket-knife. He was silent

. "We'd better talk this

out

n't we pull together better?

don't need to

nown me a good many years.

id you wasn

and a man working for MacBride can't afford to be unlucky; so he told me to come and finish the job. And once I was down here he held me responsible for getti

working hard enough

say so. Just look at what we've got to do here, Pete, before the first of January. Sometimes I think we can do it, and sometimes I think we can't, but we've got to anyway. If we don't, MacBride will just make up his mind we're no good. And unless we pull together, we're

the feelings at work beneath, and Bannon knew that he had

u wanted to consult me about anythi

well to meet the writer at ten o'clock Sunday morning at a certain downtown hotel. It closed with a postscript containing the disinterested suggestio

the office. He did not come, but when Bannon reached his boarding-house a

the boss, cheerfully, as he was washing

," said Gr

hair. "Well, Mr. Grady, when you came here before you said it was to warn me

every minute you've kept me waiting yesterday and tonight. That was the most expensive supper you ever ate. I thought y

a man hesitating between two courses o

to business

if you can safely insult the representative of the mig

el

ks are in a hur

es

ugh on time. How'd it suit you to have all your labo

tty

ill strike in

ose we settle w

ith withering sarcasm. "Just t

wanted to hear you confes

you for a dirty slave-driver to be protected against a strike? Wouldn't they be willing to pay a round sum to get this work done o

ave me recalled, accordi

ight. Well, that's all r

recall me or have a str

for pro

rs a large wad of bills. If you'd taken the trouble to be decent when I went to you in a friendly way a very

fully that to save delay

len. It seemed then that he might have got fifty. "All right," he we

u came around. Don't you think I knew what you wanted? If I'd thought you were worth buying, I'd have settled it up for three hundred dollars and a box of cigars right at the start. That's about your market

arched him to the head of the long, straight flight of stairs. Then