gun to feel a most restless energy crowding them on, and
they worked nearly as well as Bannon's day shifts. For Peterson's spirits
had risen with a leap, once the misunderstanding that had been weighing on
him had been removed, and now he was working as he had never worked
before. The directions he gave showed that his head was clearer; and there
was confidence in his manner.

Hilda was so serious all day after her talk with Bannon that once, in the
afternoon, when he came into the office for a glance at the new pile of
blue prints, he smiled, and asked if she were laying out a campaign. It
was the first work of the kind that she had ever undertaken, and she was a
little worried over the need for tact and delicacy. After she had closed
her desk at supper time, she saw Bannon come into the circle of the
electric light in front of the office, and, asking Max to wait, she went
to meet him.

"Well," he said, "are you loaded up to fight the 'power of the union'?"

She smiled, and then said, with a trace of nervousness:--

"I don't believe I'm quite so sure about it as I was this morning."

"It won't bother you much. When you've made him see that we're square and
Grady isn't, you've done the whole business. We won't pay fancy damages,
that's all."

"Yes," she said, "I think I know. What I wanted to see you about was--
was--Max and I are going over right after supper, and--"

She stopped abruptly; and Bannon, looking down at her, saw a look of
embarrassment come into her face; and then she blushed, and lowering her
eyes, fumbled with her glove. Bannon was a little puzzled. His eyes rested
on her for a moment, and then, without understanding why, he suddenly knew
that she had meant to ask him to see her after the visit, and that the new
personal something in their acquaintance had flashed a warning. He spoke
quickly, as if he were the first to think of it.

"If you don't mind, I'll come around tonight and hear the report of the
committee of adjusters. That's you, you know. Something might come up that
I ought to know right away."

"Yes," she replied rapidly, without looking up, "perhaps that would be the
best thing to do."

He walked along with her toward the office, where Max was waiting, but she
did not say anything, and he turned in with: "I won't say good-night,
then. Good luck to you."

It was soon after eight that Bannon went to the boarding-house where Hilda
and Max lived, and sat down to wait in the parlor.