is fat fingers.

"There wasn't anybody outside when I knocked, but I heard your voice in
here, Governor, so I came right in. I wanted to ask you, Governor, if
my carpenters can begin work in here day after to-morrow. I want to take
down that partition there, and throw this room and the next into one. I
guess that will be O. K., won't it? You'll be out of here by then, won't
you?"

There was no vagueness about Magnus's speech or manner now. There was
that same alertness in his demeanour that one sees in a tamed lion in
the presence of its trainer.

"Yes, yes," he said quickly, "you can send your men here. I will be gone
by to-morrow."

"I don't want to seem to hurry you, Governor." "No, you will not hurry
me. I am ready to go now."

"Anything I can do for you, Governor?"

"Nothing."

"Yes, there is, Governor," insisted S. Behrman. "I think now that all is
over we ought to be good friends. I think I can do something for you. We
still want an assistant in the local freight manager's office. Now, what
do you say to having a try at it? There's a salary of fifty a month goes
with it. I guess you must be in need of money now, and there's always
the wife to support; what do you say? Will you try the place?"

Presley could only stare at the man in speechless wonder. What was he
driving at? What reason was there back of this new move, and why should
it be made thus openly and in his hearing? An explanation occurred to
him. Was this merely a pleasantry on the part of S. Behrman, a way of
enjoying to the full his triumph; was he testing the completeness of
his victory, trying to see just how far he could go, how far beneath his
feet he could push his old-time enemy?

"What do you say?" he repeated. "Will you try the place?"

"You--you INSIST?" inquired the Governor.

"Oh, I'm not insisting on anything," cried S. Behrman. "I'm offering you
a place, that's all. Will you take it?"

"Yes, yes, I'll take it."

"You'll come over to our side?"

"Yes, I'll come over."

"You'll have to turn 'railroad,' understand?"

"I'll turn railroad."

"Guess there may be times when you'll have to take orders from me."

"I'll take orders from you."

"You'll have to be loyal to railroad, you know. No funny business."

"I'll be loyal to the railroad."

"You would like the place then?"

"Yes."

S. Behrman turned from Magnus, who at once resumed his seat and began
again to sort his papers.

"Well, Presley," said the railroad