conversation by an awkward movement of his head. This
stiffness in Peterson's manner when Bannon was within hearing had been
growing more noticeable during the past few days.

"Don't you think of going yet," he continued, with a nervous laugh, for
Hilda was moving on. "She needn't be in such a rush to get to work, eh,
Charlie?"

Hilda did not give Bannon a chance to reply.

"Thank you very much, Mr. Peterson," she said, smiling, "but I must go
back, really. Maybe you'll tell me some day when you're going to do
something special, so I can come up again."

Peterson's disappointment was so frankly shown in his face that she smiled
again. "I've enjoyed it very much," she said. She was still looking at
Peterson, but at the last word she turned to include Bannon, as if she had
suddenly remembered that he was in the party. There was an uncomfortable
feeling, shown by all in their silence and in their groping about for
something to say.

"I'll go ahead and clear the track," said Bannon. "I'll holler up to you,
Max, when we're ready down below."

"Here," said Max, "let me go down."

But Bannon had already started down the first ladder.

"The next time you come to visit us, Miss Vogel," he called back, "I guess
we'll have our real elevator in, and we can run you up so fast it'll take
your breath away. We'll be real swells here yet."

When he reached the working floor, he called in the laborers and shouted
to Max. But when the box, slowly descending, appeared below the bin walls,
it was Peterson who held the line and chatted with Hilda as he steadied
her.

The next day a lot of cribbing came from Ledyard, and Bannon at once set
about reorganizing his forces so that work could go on night and day. He
and Peterson would divide the time equally into twelve-hour days; but
three divisions were necessary for the men, the morning shift working from
midnight until eight o'clock, the day shift from eight to four, and the
night shift from four to midnight.

Finally, when the whistle blew, at noon, Bannon tipped back his chair and
pushed his hat back on his head.

"Well," he said, "that's fixed."

"When will we begin on it?" Peterson asked.

"Today. Have the whistle blow at four. It'll make some of the men work
overtime today, but we'll pay them for it."

Miss Vogel was putting on her jacket. Before joining Max, who was waiting
at the door, she asked:--

"Do you want me to make any change in my work, Mr. Bannon?"

"No,