ing quiet; but they're a flock of blue jays cussin' fer a prize
compared with them two fellers."

As Firmstone turned to leave the office the door was thrust open and the
two men entered. Bennie led, aggressive defiance radiating from every
swing and pose. Zephyr, calm, imperturbable, confident, glanced at the
red-faced Hartwell and at the set face of Firmstone. He knew the game,
he knew his own hand. He intended to play it for its full value. He had
an interested partner. He trusted in his skill, but if he made breaks it
was no concern of his.

"Assuming," he began; "that there's an interesting discussion going on,
I beg leave to submit some important data bearing on the same."

"Trim your switches," burst out Bennie. "They'll sting harder."

The unruffled Zephyr bent a soothing eye on Bennie, moved his hat a
little farther back from his forehead, placed his arms leisurely akimbo,
and eased one foot by gradually resting his weight on the other. It was
not affectation. It was the physical expression of a mental habit.

"Still farther assuming," here his eyes slowly revolved and rested on
Hartwell, "that truth crushed to earth sometimes welcomes a friendly
boost, uninvited, I am here to tender the aforesaid assistance." He
turned to Bennie. "Now, Julius, it's up to you. If you'll open the
throttle, you can close your blow-off with no danger of bursting your
boiler." He nodded his head toward the door.

Hartwell's manner was that of a baited bull who, in the multiplicity of
his assailants, knew not whom to select for first attack. For days and
weeks he had been marshalling his forces for an overwhelming assault on
Firmstone. He had ignored the fact that his adversary might have been
preparing an able defence in spite of secrecy on his part. It is a wise
man who, when contemplating the spoliation of his neighbour, first takes
careful account of defensive as well as of offensive means. His personal
assault on Firmstone had met with defeat. In the mental rout that
followed he was casting about to find means of concealing from others
that which he could not hide from himself. The irruption of Bennie and
Zephyr threatened disaster even to this forlorn hope. Firmstone knew
what was coming. Hartwell could not even guess. As he had seen Firmstone
as his first object, so now he saw Zephyr. Blindly as he had attacked
Firmstone, so now he lowered his head for an equally blind charge on the
placid Zephyr.

"Who are you, anyway