After this I wish
you'd keep your eyes open for this section boss. Have you had any
trouble with the men?"

"No, only that clerk that we laid off to-day, he 'lowed he was going to
make trouble. I didn't say anything about it, because they always talk
like that."

"Yes, I know. What's his name?"

"Briggs."

"I guess he can't hurt us any."

Bannon turned back to his work; and Vogel disappeared in the shadows
along the path.

Nine o'clock came, and the timber was still coming in. The men were
growing tired and surly from the merciless strain of carrying the long,
heavy sticks. The night was raw and chill. Bannon felt it as he stood
directing the work, and he kept his hands in his pockets, and wished he
had worn his overcoat; but the laborers, barearmed and bare-headed, clad
only in overalls or in thin trousers and cotton shirts, were shaking
sweat from their eyes, and stealing moments between trips to stand where
the keen lake breeze could cool them. Another half-hour or so should see
the last stick on the piles, and Bannon had about decided to go over to
the office when he saw Vogel moving among the men, marking their time in
his book.

"Here, Max," he called, adding, when Vogel had reached his side: "Just
keep an eye on this, will you? I'll be at the office. Keep things going
just as they are."

There was a light in the office. Bannon stepped into the doorway, and,
with a suppressed word of impatience, stood looking at the scene within.
The desk that Peterson had supplied for the use of his clerk was
breast-high from the floor, built against the wall, with a high stool
before it. The wall lamp had been taken down; now it stood with its
reflector on the top of the desk, which was covered with books and
papers. A girl was sitting on the stool, bending over a ledger and
rapidly footing up columns. Bannon could not see her face, for a young
fellow stood leaning over the railing by the desk, his back to the door.
He had just said something, and now he was laughing in a conscious
manner.

Bannon quietly stepped to one side. The girl looked up for a moment and
brushed her hair back from her face. The fellow spoke again in a low
tone, but beyond a slight compressing of her lips she did not seem to
hear him. Without a word, Bannon came forward, took him by the arm, and
led him out of the door. Still holding his arm, he took a step back, and
(they stood in the outer circle of the electric light) looked him over.

"L