rtment permit. The
giant laughed.
"Say, sonny," he sneered, "that don't go--see. Them tin fakes don't git
by. If you're one of them guys, you come here wit' McLaughlin, and youse
can rubber. But we've had enough of this stuff. Them dames is no blind,
neither. I'm guard for the owners here, and we ain't takin' no chances
wit' trouble makers--git. Git a move on!"
"The department," spluttered Glass, "shall hear of this."
"That's all right. McLaughlin's the boss. Tell 'em not to send a kid to
do a man's job."
Genevieve was too amazed to protest. It was her first experience of
defiance of Law and Order by Law and Order.
Meanwhile, the first stragglers of the released army of toilers were
nearly upon them. The giant observed their approach, and the look of
menace deepened on his huge, congested face.
"Move on, now--move on," he snarled, and herded them forward in advance
of the workers.
Sheepishly the three obeyed, but Miss Eliot was not silent.
"Your name?" she demanded in judicial command.
The very terseness of her question seemed to jerk an unwilling answer
from the guard.
"Michael Mehan."
"And you're employed by the Owners' Protective League?"
"Sure."
"Have they given you orders to keep strangers out of the district?"
"I have me orders, and I know what they be. I'm duly sworn in as extra
guard--and I'm not the only one, neither."
"Did _he_ come after you?" Miss Eliot indicated the ruffian at his side.
"I seen the lady owner blew the bunch," that worthy remarked with a
hoarse chuckle. "I wised Mike, all right. Whatcha goin' to do about it?"
"Mrs. Brewster-Smith, the owner," Miss Eliot observed, "didn't seem to
know that she had employed you. How about that?"
"I'm put here by the O.P.L. That's good enough fer yer lady
owner--now--ain't it? The things them nosey dames thinks they can git by
wit'!" he observed to the guard, and swore an oath that made Mr. Glass
turn to him with unexpected fury.
"You may pretend to think that I'm not what I represent myself to be,
but let me tell you, McLaughlin is going to hear of this. One more
insult to these ladies and I'll make it my business to go personally to
your employers. Get me?"
"Shut your trap, Jim," snarled Mehan. "Yer ain't got no orders fer no
fancy language." He leered at Genevieve. "Now we've shooed the chickens
out, we're tru'." With a wave of his huge paw he indicated the highway
the turn of the path revealed.
Genevieve look
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