"What are you going to do now, Max--when you're through on this job?"

"Why--I don't know----"

"Have you got anything ahead?"

"Nothing sure. I was working for a firm of contractors up on the North
Side, and I've been thinking maybe they'd take me back."

"You've had some experience in building before now, haven't you?" Bannon
was speaking deliberately, as if he were saying what he had thought out
before.

"Yes, a good deal. It's what I've mostly done since I quit the lumber
business."

"When Mr. MacBride was here," said Bannon, "he told me that we've got a
contract for a new house at Indianapolis. It's going to be concrete,
from the spiles up--there ain't anything like it in the country. I'm
going down next week to take charge of the job, and if you'd like to go
along as my assistant, I'll take you."

Max did not know what to say. At first he grinned and blushed, thinking
only that Bannon had been pleased with his work; then he grew serious.

"Well," said Bannon, "what do you say?"

Max still hesitated. At last he replied:--

"Can I have till to-morrow to think about it? I--you see, Hilda and I,
we most always talk things over, and I don't exactly like to do anything
without----"

"Sure," said Bannon; "think it over if you like. There's no hurry up to
the end of the week." He paused as if he meant to go on, but changed his
mind and stood up. Max, too, was waiting, as if there were more to be
said.

"You two must think we've got all day to fix things." It was Pete
calling from the other end of the room. "There ain't no loafing allowed
here."

Bannon smiled, and Max turned away. But after he had got a third of the
way down the aisle, he came back.

"Say, Mr. Bannon," he said, "I want to tell you that I--Hilda, she
said--she's told me something about things--and I want to----" It had
been a lame conversation; now it broke down, and they stood through a
long silence without speaking. Finally Max pulled himself together, and
said in a low, nervous voice: "Say, it's all right. I guess you know
what I'm thinking about. And I ain't got a word to say." Then he hurried
out.

When Max and Hilda came in, the restaurant man was setting up the paper
napkin tents on the raised table at the end of the hall, and Pete stood
by the door, looking upon his work with satisfaction. He did not see
them until they were fairly in the room.

"Hello," he said; "I didn't know you was coming, Miss Vogel." He swept
his arm ar