ter had been
smoothed out, the eyelids stained, the eyebrows penciled, the lips
colored, until she had a bisque look that made him shudder. He had seen
faces like hers, and fancied that he knew their story.

"I would like to speak with you just a minute. Come up to the office.
Margaret, dearie," said Van Dorn, "you wait for me at Brotherton's." In
the office, Van Dorn squared himself before Grant and said:

"It's no use, sir. You can't hold a meeting there to-night--the thing's
set against you. I can't stop them, but I know the rough element there
will kill you if you try. You've done your best--why risk your head,
man--for no purpose? You can't make it--and it's dangerous for you to
try."

Grant looked at Van Dorn. Then he asked:

"You represent the Harvey Fuel Company, Judge?"

"Yes," replied the Judge with much pride of authority, "and we--"

Grant stopped him. "Judge," he said, "if you blow your horn--I'll ring
my bell and--If I don't hold my meeting to-night, your mines won't open
to-morrow morning." The Judge rose and led the way to the door.

"Oh, well," he sneered, "if you won't take advice, there's no need of
wasting time on you."

"No," answered Grant, "only remember what I've said."

When Grant alighted from the car in South Harvey, he found his puddler
friend waiting for him. The two went into the Vanderbilt House, where
Grant greeted Mrs. Williams, the landlady, as an old friend, and the
puddler cried: "Say, lady--if you keep this man--we'll burn your house."

"Well, burn it--it wouldn't be much loss," retorted the landlady, who
turned her back upon the puddler and said to Grant: "We've given you the
front room upstairs, Grant, for the committee. It has the outside
staircase. Your room is ready. You know the Local No. 10 boys from the
Independent are all coming around this afternoon--as soon as they learn
where the meeting is."

The puddler walked away and Grant went out into the street; looked up at
the wooden structure with the stairway rising from the sidewalk and
splitting the house in two. Mounting the stairs, he found a narrow hall,
leading down a long line of bedrooms. He realized that he must view his
location as a general looks over a battlefield.

The closing of the public halls to Grant and his cause had not
discouraged him. He knew that he still had the great free out-of-doors,
and he had thought that an open air meeting would give the cause
dramatic setting. He felt that to be bar