issuing
of passes to employees travelling on company business only. We can
stretch it a little sometimes, of course, but we can't make it cover the
whole earth."

"Neither can I!" Blount exploded. "Let it be understood, once for all,
Mr. Bentley, that I am not the scape-goat for all the other departments!
I have cut it off short; I am not recommending passes for anybody."

"But, suffering Scott, Mr. Blount, we've simply _got_ to take care of
Tom Gryson! He's the boss of his ward, and he has influence enough to
turn even our own employees against us!"

"Influence?" scoffed the young man from the East. "How does he acquire
his influence? It is merely another illustration of the vicious circle;
you put into his hands the club with which he proceeds to knock you
down. Let me tell you what I'm telling everybody; if we want a square
deal, we've got to set the example by being square. And, by Heavens, Mr.
Bentley, we're going to set the example!"

The master mechanic went away silenced, but by no means convinced; and a
week later Gryson, who in appearance was a typical tough, and who in
reality was a post-graduate of the hard school of violence and
ruffianage obtaining in the lawless mining-camps of the Carnadine Hills,
sauntered into Blount's office with his cigar at the belligerent angle
and an insolent taunt in his mouth.

"Well, pardner, we got them dickie-birds o' mine over to Jonesboro,
after so long a time, and no thanks to you, neither. I just blew in to
tell you that I'm goin' to hit you ag'in about day after to-morrow, and
if you don't come across there's goin' to be somethin' doin'; see?"

Blount sprang from his chair and forgot to be politic.

"You needn't come to me the day after to-morrow, or any other time," he
raged. "I'm through with you and your tribe. Get out!"

After Gryson, muttering threats, had gone, the young campaign manager
had an attack of moral nausea. It seemed such a prodigious waste of time
and energy to traffic and chaffer with these petty scoundrels. Thus far,
every phase of the actual political problem seemed to be meanly
degrading, and he was beginning to long keenly for an opportunity to do
some really worthy thing.

Notwithstanding, his ideals were still unshaken. He still clung to the
belief that the corporation, which was created by the law and could
exist only under the protection of the law, must, of necessity, be a
law-abiding entity. It was manifestly unfair to hold it resp