jelly."

"I'm glad you told me," said Bannon, swinging his legs around and sitting
up. "It's just as well to know about these things. Grady's made him think
he can make a good haul by going after me, poor fool--he isn't the man
that'll get it."

"Can he really stop the work?" Hilda asked anxiously.

"Not likely. He'll probably try to make out a case of criminal
carelessness against me, and get me jerked up. He ought to have more
sense, though. I know how many sticks were on that hoist when it broke.
I'll drop around there tonight after dinner and have a talk with him. I'd
like to find Grady there--but that's too good to expect."

Hilda had stepped down from the stool, and was looking out through the
half-cleaned window at a long train of freight cars that was clanking in
on the Belt Line.

"That's what I wanted to see you about most," she said slowly. "Max says
he's been warned that you'll come around and try to buy him off, and it
won't go, because he can make more by standing out."

"Well," said Bannon, easily, amused at her unconscious drop into Max's
language, "there's usually a way of getting after these fellows. We'll do
anything within reason, but we won't be robbed. I'll throw Mr. Grady into
the river first, and hang him up on the hoist to dry."

"But if he really means to stand out." she said, "wouldn't it hurt us for
you to go around there?"

"Why?" He was openly smiling now. Then, of a sudden, he looked at her with
a shrewd, close gaze, and repeated, "Why?"

"Maybe I don't understand it," she said nervously. "Max doesn't think I
see things very clearly. But I thought perhaps you would be willing for me
to see him this evening. I could go with Max, and--"

She faltered, when she saw how closely he was watching her, but he nodded,
and said, "Go on."

"Why, I don't know that I could do much, but--no"--she tossed her head
back and looked at him--"I won't say that. If you'll let me go, I'll fix
it. I know I can."

Bannon was thinking partly of her--of her slight, graceful figure that
leaned against the window frame, and of her eyes, usually quiet, but now
snapping with determination--and partly of certain other jobs that had
been imperiled by the efforts of injured workingmen to get heavy damages.
One of the things his experience in railroad and engineering work had
taught him was that men will take every opportunity to bleed a
corporation. No matter how slight the accident, or how temporary in its