atience that he
had been fighting for a week threatened to get away with him. He had seen
nothing of Hilda, except for the daily "Good morning," and a word now and
then. The office had been besieged by reporters waiting for a chance at
him; under-foremen had been rushing in and out; Page's representatives and
the railroad and steamboat men had made it their headquarters. It may be
that he would not have spoken in any case, for he had said all that he
could say, and he knew that she would give him an answer when she could.

Max's eyes had dropped again.

"You mean for her to help fix things up?" he asked.

Bannon nodded; and then, as Max did not look up, he said, "Yes."

"Why--why, yes, I guess she'd just as soon." He hesitated, then began
coming down the ladder, adding, "I'll go for her."

Bannon looked over his shoulder--Pete was clattering about among the
dishes. "Max," he said, "hold on a minute." Max turned and came slowly
back. Bannon had seated himself on the end of a table, and now he waited,
looking down at the two rows of plates, and slowly turning a caster that
stood at his elbow. What he finally said was not what Max was awaiting.

"What are you going to do now, Max--when you're through on this job?"

"Why--I don't know--"

"Have you got anything ahead?"

"Nothing sure. I was working for a firm of contractors up on the North
Side, and I've been thinking maybe they'd take me back."

"You've had some experience in building before now, haven't you?" Bannon
was speaking deliberately, as if he were saying what he had thought out
before.

"Yes, a good deal. It's what I've mostly done since I quit the lumber
business."

"When Mr. MacBride was here," said Bannon, "he told me that we've got a
contract for a new house at Indianapolis. It's going to be concrete, from
the spiles up--there ain't anything like it in the country. I'm going down
next week to take charge of the job, and if you'd like to go along as my
assistant, I'll take you."

Max did not know what to say. At first he grinned and blushed, thinking
only that Bannon had been pleased with his work; then he grew serious.

"Well," said Bannon, "what do you say?"

Max still hesitated. At last he replied:--

"Can I have till tomorrow to think about it? I--you see, Hilda and I, we
most always talk things over, and I don't exactly like to do anything
without--"

"Sure," said Bannon; "think it over if you like. There's no hurry up to
the end of t