d the impassive face before
him with a glance. "If the schedule was stretched a little, now, at
either end and a second shift added--"
"That's a good idea. I'm glad it occurred to you. Better speak to the
superintendent about it yourself; he'll see the point." Roberts alighted
deliberately. "Any suggestion you men in the service make is valuable."
As he vanished up the street toward his destination, in the fulness of
knowledge that the contemplated suggestion had been decided from the
turning of the first wheel on the system, he left behind him a man imbued
with an _esprit de corps_ that was to grow and leaven the entire working
force. It took but a minute all told!
Five minutes later, in the half dark doorway of a cottage on a side
street, he was face to face with Harry Randall.
"Pardon me if I intrude," he was saying, "but I'm going out of town
to-morrow and I wish to talk with you a bit before I go. Can you spare me
a little time?"
"Certainly." Randall's manner was decidedly stiff. Nevertheless he led
the way through the vestibule and living-room to the dining-room beyond.
There he halted significantly. "By the way," he began, "the furniture I
mentioned--"
"Damn the furniture!" Roberts met his host's look steadily. "You know me
better than that, by reputation if nothing more. I said I wished to talk
with you. May I?"
Randall colored, and the stiffness vanished as by a miracle.
"Pardon me," he said. "I've got a sort of den upstairs where I do my
work." Again he led the way. "My wife's out of town, though, now, and
things are a bit mussy."
Roberts made no comment, and they mounted the stairs in silence.
Inside the room the visitor swept the place with a single all-including
glance. Thereafter, apparently, he observed nothing.
"First of all, then," he initiated bluntly, "do I intrude? If so, I can
tell my business in five minutes; if not, we might possibly become
acquainted."
Again Randall colored; then he smiled, his saving quality.
"Not in the least. It's Friday night, you know. In addition I was a bit
lonely. I'm distinctly glad to see you."
"Which, interpreted, means glad to see any one."
"Yes, I suppose so."
For an instant the old odd smile shone in Roberts' eyes, then it
disappeared, leaving them normal, inscrutable.
"To begin with, then, I came primarily to talk about Steve Armstrong. I
believe he's a friend of yours."
"Yes." A halt, then the query direct returned. "Is he of
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