and
turned his back on the committee, going on with his figuring. Not a word
was said; the men hardly moved; and the minutes went slowly by. Then
there was a stir outside, and the sound of low voices. The door flew
open, admitting Grady, who stalked to the railing, choking with anger.
Max, who immediately followed, was grinning, his eyes resting on a round
spot of dust on Grady's shoulder, and on his torn collar and disarranged
tie. Peterson came in last, and carefully closed the door--his eyes were
blazing, and one sleeve was rolled up over his bare forearm. Neither of
them spoke. If anything in the nature of an assault had seemed necessary
in dragging the delegate to the office, there had been no witnesses. And
he had entered the room of his own accord.

Grady was at a disadvantage, and he knew it. Breathing hard, his face
red, his little eyes darting about the room, he took it all in--the
members of the committee; the boss, figuring at the table, with an air
of exasperating coolness about his lean back; and last of all, James,
standing in the shadow. It was the sight of the new man that checked the
storm of words that was pressing on Grady's tongue. But he finally
gathered himself and stepped forward, pushing aside one of the
committee.

Then Bannon turned. He faced about in his chair and began to talk
straight at the committee, ignoring the delegate. Grady began to talk at
the same time, but though his voice was the louder, no one seemed to
hear him. The men were looking at Bannon. Grady hesitated, started
again, and then, bound by his own rage and his sense of defeat, let his
words die away, and stood casting about for an opening.

"--This man Grady threatened a good while ago that I would have a strike
on my hands. He finally came to me and offered to protect me if I would
pay him five thousand dollars."

"That's a lie!" shouted the delegate. "He come to me----"

Bannon had hardly paused. He drew a typewritten copy of Grady's letter
from his pocket, and read it aloud, then handed it over to Murphy.
"That's the way he came at me. I want you to read it."

The man took it awkwardly, glanced at it, and passed it on.

"To-night he's ordered a strike. He calls himself your representative,
but he has acted on his own responsibility. Now, I am going to talk
plain to you. I came here to build this elevator, and I'm going to do
it. I propose to treat you men fair and square. If you think you ain't
treated right, yo