they kick about?"

"A good many things, big and little. But the real reason is the one I've
been giving you--Bannon. Neither more nor less."

"Do you mean they'd be all right if another man was in charge?"

Grady could not be sure from Peterson's expression whether the ice were
firm enough to step out boldly upon, or not. He tested it cautiously.

"Mr. Peterson, I know you're a good man. I know you're a generous man. I
know you wouldn't want to crowd Bannon out of his shoes 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 duty to? The men up in Minneapolis who pay your
salary, or the man who has come down here and is giving orders over your
head?

"--No, just let me finish, Mr. Peterson. I know what you're going to say.
But do your employers want to get the job done by New 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 allowed to stay here? It will not, you
can bet on that. Then it's your duty to get him out of here, and I'm going
to help you do it."

Grady was on his feet when he declaimed the last sentence. He flung out
his hand toward Pete. "Shake on it!" he cried.

Peterson had also got to his feet, but more slowly. He did not take the
hand. "I'm much obliged, Mr. Grady," he said. "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 shoving when he sees that it is so. You go and tell just what
you've told me to Charlie Bannon. He's boss on this job."

Grady would have fared better with a man of quicker intelligence. Peterson
was so slow at catching the blackmailer's drift that he spoke in perfectly
good faith when he made the suggestion that he tell Bannon, and Grady went
away a good deal perplexed as to the best course to pursue,--whether to go
directly to Bannon, or to try the night boss again.

As for Peterson, four or five times during his half-hour talk with Bannon
at the office that evening, he braced himself to tell the boss what Grady
had said, but it was not till just as Bannon was going home that it
finally came out. "Have you seen Grady lately?" Pete asked, as calmly as
he could.

"He was around here something more than a week ago; gave me a little
bombthrowers' anniversary oratory about oppressors and a watchful eye.
There's no use paying any attention to him yet. He thinks he's got some
trouble