extra allowance for yer." This was cut from
whole cloth. He had never known an adjuster in his life.

"What's that?" asked Tom, still looking square at him, Quigg squirming
under her glance like a worm on a pin.

"Well, the company can't tell how much feed was in the bins, and tools,
and sech like," he said, with another laugh.

A laugh is always a safe parry when a pair of clear gray search-light
eyes are cutting into one like a rapier.

"An' yer idea is for me to git paid for stuff that wasn't burned up, is
it?"

"Well, that's as how the adjuster says. Sometimes he sees it an'
sometimes he don't--that's where the pull comes in."

Tom put her arms akimbo, her favorite attitude when her anger began to
rise.

"Oh I see! The pull is in bribin' the adjuster, as ye call him, so he
can cheat the company."

Quigg shrugged his shoulders; that part of the transaction was a mere
trifle. What were companies made for but to be cheated?

Tom stood for a minute looking him all over.

"Dennis Quigg," she said slowly, weighing each word, her eyes riveted
on his face, "ye're a very sharp young man; ye're so very sharp that I
wonder ye've gone so long without cuttin' yerself, But one thing I tell
ye, an' that is, if ye keep on the way ye're a-goin' ye'll land where
you belong, and that's up the river in a potato-bug suit of clothes.
Turn yer head this way, Quigg. Did ye niver in yer whole life think
there was somethin' worth the havin' in bein' honest an' clean an'
square, an' holdin' yer head up like a man, instead of skulkin' round
like a thief? What ye're up to this mornin' I don't know yet, but I want
to tell ye it 's the wrong time o' day for ye to make calls, and the
night's not much better, unless ye're particularly invited."

Quigg smothered a curse and turned on his heel toward the village. When
he reached O'Leary's, Dempsey of the Executive Committee met him at the
door. He and McGaw had spent the whole morning in devising plans to keep
Tom out of the board-room.

Quigg's report was not reassuring. She would be paid her insurance
money, he said, and would certainly be at the meeting that night.

The three adjourned to the room over the bar. McGaw began pacing the
floor, his long arms hooked behind his back. He had passed a sleepless
night, and every hour now added to his anxiety. His face was a dull
gray yellow, and his eyes were sunken. Now and then he would tug at
his collar nervously. As he walked he clutch