alk when we opened the fence first time. That
section boss was around, but I told him how things was, and he didn't
seem to have no kick coming as long as we was careful."

Bannon had taken up his letter to Brown, and was slowly unfolding it and
looking it over. When Peterson got to his feet, he laid it on the table.

"Anything else, Charlie? I'm just getting things to going on the annex.
We're going to make her jump, I tell you. I ain't allowing any loafing
there."

"No," Bannon replied, "I guess not." He followed the foreman out of
doors. "Do you remember having any letters, Pete, about our agreement
with the C. & S. C. to build over the tracks--from the office or
anybody?"

Peterson brought his brows together and tried to remember. After a
moment he slowly shook his head.

"Nothing, eh?" said Bannon.

"Not that I can think of. Something may have come in while Max was here
in the office----"

"I wish you'd ask him."

"All right. He'll be around my way before long, taking the time."

"And say," Bannon added, with one foot on the doorstep, "you haven't
seen anything more of that man Briggs, have you?"

Peterson shook his head.

"If you see him hanging around, you may as well throw him right off the
job."

Peterson grinned.

"I guess he won't show up very fast. Max did him up good last night,
when he was blowing off about bringing the delegate around."

Bannon had drawn the door to after him when he came out. He was turning
back, with a hand on the knob, when Peterson, who was lingering, said in
a low voice, getting out the words awkwardly:--

"Say, Charlie, she's all right, ain't she."

Bannon did not reply, and Peterson jerked his thumb toward the office.

"Max's sister, there. I never saw any red hair before that was up to the
mark. Ain't she a little uppish, though, don't you think?"

"I guess not."

"Red-haired girls generally is. They've got tempers, too, most of them.
It's funny about her looks. She don't look any more like Max than
anything." He grinned again. "Lord, Max is a peach, though, ain't he."

Bannon nodded and reentered the office. He sat down and added a
postscript to his letter:

The C. & S. C. people are trying to make it warm for us about
working across their tracks. Can't we have an understanding with
them before we get ready to put up the belt gallery? If we don't,
we'll have to build a suspension bridge.

C. B.

He sealed the envelope and to