,
unanimous.

"We'll now discuss the men's terms," the lawyer remarked politely and
with an air of satisfaction.

"There's nothing more to discuss. The matter is settled. They have
refused; they need not seek work at the dam again. Start the car,
Meyers."

The roar of the machine drowned the indignant lawyer's protest, the
crowd hastened to give an opening and the conference was at an end.

"Drive to Vorse's saloon; I want a look at Vorse," said Weir. "I see
the place a short way ahead."

When they entered the long low adobe building an anemic-appearing
Mexican standing at the far end of the bar languidly started forward
to serve them, but a bald-headed, hawk-nosed man seated at a desk
behind the cigar-case laid aside his newspaper, arose and checked the
other by a sidewise jerk of his head.

He received their orders for beer and lifted three dripping bottles
from a tub of water at his feet. His eyes passed casually over Steele
Weir's face, glanced away, then came back for a swift unblinking
scrutiny. The eyes his own met were as hard, stony and inscrutable as
his own. Finally Vorse, the saloon-keeper, turned his gaze towards the
window and extracting a quill tooth-pick from a vest pocket began
thoughtfully to pick his teeth.

"You're the new manager at the dam?" he asked presently, still
considering the street through the window.

"I am."

"And your name is Weir?"

"You've got it right."

The questions ended there. The three men from camp slowly consumed
their beer and exchanged indifferent remarks. At the end of five
minutes the Mexican lawyer, clutching the arm of an elderly,
gray-mustached man, entered the saloon.

They lined up at the bar nearby the others. The older of the pair
regarded the trio shrewdly, laid a calf-bound book that he carried
under his arm upon the counter and ordered "a little bourbon." When he
had swallowed this, he addressed the men from the engineering camp.

"Which of you is Mr. Weir?"

"I am he," Steele replied.

"Mr. Martinez here has solicited me, Mr. Weir, to use my offices in
explaining to you the workmen's point of view in the controversy that
exists relative to the work. I'm Senator Gordon, a member of the state
legislature, and I have no interest in the matter beyond seeing an
amicable and just arrangement effected."

Steele Weir fixed his eyes on the speaker with an intentness, a cold
penetration, that seemed to bore to the very recesses of his mind. In
that