that true?"

"No, it is not true. There is an honest, sincere belief on the part of
some of us that you are not the man to rule this camp. You may call it
politics, if you like,--or revolt, if you prefer."

"We'll call it politics, Mr. Landover. It was not politics that made me
the superintendent of construction here, however. I've looked after the
job to the best of my ability. I am ready to retire whenever the people
decide they've found a better man. You may be right in supposing that
Manuel Crust is the right man for the job,--but I don't agree with you."

Landover started. "Nothing is farther from my thoughts than to turn the
affairs of this camp over to Crust," he said.

"Once more I agree with you. But that is what you will be doing, just
the same. If you think that Manuel Crust is going to play second fiddle
to you, Mr. Landover, you'll suddenly wake up to find yourself mistaken.
You know what Crust is advocating, don't you? Well, I guess there's
nothing more to be said on the subject."

"We will drop it, then," said Landover curtly. "I merely want you to
understand that Crust had no hand in last night's affair. I can vouch
for that."

"Can you vouch for each and every member of his gang?"

"I know nothing about his gang, as you call it. If I am not
mistaken, this fellow Mendez is one of your pet supporters. He may be
double-crossing you."

"We'll see. For the present, your friend Crust is safe. As long as he
lives within the law, he is all right. We're going to have law and order
here, Mr. Landover. I want you to understand that. The best evidence
that most of us want law and order is the incredible manner in which
these people have curbed their natural instincts."

"No one wants law and order more than I," said Landover.

"And I suppose Manuel Crust is of the same mind, eh?"

"So far as I know, he is," replied the other firmly.

Percival looked at him in blank astonishment. "Well, I'm damned!" he
said, after a moment. "Do you really believe that?"

"It does not follow that he is an advocate of lawlessness and disorder
because he happens to be opposed to some of your pet schemes, does it,
Mr. Percival?" inquired Landover ironically.

"One of my pet schemes happens to conflict seriously with Manuel's pet
scheme, if that will strengthen your argument any, Mr. Landover."

"I don't believe Crust ever had any such thought," said the other
flatly.

"We're not getting anywhere by arguing the point,"