hat for? Suppose we settle with them direct."

"Just try that," said Grady, with withering sarcasm. "Just try that and
see how it works."

"I don't want to. I only wanted to hear you confess that you are a
rascal."

"You'll pay dear for giving me that name. But we come to that later. Do
you think it would be worth something to the men who hire you for a
dirty slave-driver to be protected against a strike? Wouldn't they be
willing to pay a round sum to get this work done on time? Take a minute
to think about it. Be careful how you tell me they wouldn't. You're not
liked here, Mr. Bannon, by anybody----"

"You're threatening to have me recalled, according to your suggestions
to Mr. Peterson the other night. Well, that's all right if you can do
it. But I think that sooner than recall me or have a strike they would
be willing to pay for protection."

"You do. I didn't look for that much sense in you. If you'd shown it
sooner it might have saved your employers a large wad of bills. If you'd
taken the trouble to be decent when I went to you in a friendly way a
very little would have been enough. But now I've got to be paid. What do
you say to five thousand as a fair sum?"

"They'd be willing to pay fully that to save delay," said Bannon,
cheerfully.

"They would!" To save his life Grady could not help looking crestfallen.
It seemed then that he might have got fifty. "All right," he went on,
"five thousand it is; and I want it in hundred-dollar bills."

"You do!" cried Bannon, jumping to his feet. "Do you think you're going
to get a cent of it? I might pay blackmail to an honest rascal who
delivered the goods paid for. But I had your size the first time you
came around. Don't you think I knew what you wanted? If I'd thought you
were worth buying, I'd have settled it up for three hundred dollars and
a box of cigars right at the start. That's about your market price. But
as long as I knew you'd sell us out again if you could, I didn't think
you were even worth the cigars. No; don't tell me what you're going to
do. Go out and do it if you can. And get out of here."

For the second time Bannon took the little delegate by the arm. He
marched him to the head of the long, straight flight of stairs. Then he
hesitated a moment. "I wish you were three sizes larger," he said.

CHAPTER XI

The organization of labor unions is generally democratic. The local
lodge is self-governing; it elects its delegate, who attends a