Grady would have fared better with a man of quicker intelligence.  Peterson was so slow at catching the blackmailer’s drift that he spoke in perfectly good faith when he made the suggestion that he tell Bannon, and Grady went away a good deal perplexed as to the best course to pursue,—­whether to go directly to Bannon, or to try the night boss again.

As for Peterson, four or five times during his half-hour talk with Bannon at the office that evening, he braced himself to tell the boss what Grady had said, but it was not till just as Bannon was going home that it finally came out.  “Have you seen Grady lately?” Pete asked, as calmly as he could.

“He was around here something more than a week ago; gave me a little bombthrowers’ anniversary oratory about oppressors and a watchful eye.  There’s no use paying any attention to him yet.  He thinks he’s got some trouble cooking for us on the stove, but we’ll have to wait till he turns it into the dish.  He ain’t as dangerous as he thinks he is.”

“He’s been around to see me lately—­twice.”

“He has!  What did he want with you?  When was it he came?”

“The first time about a week ago.  That was nothing but a little friendly talk, but—­”

“Friendly!  Him!  What did he have to say?”

“Why, it was nothing.  I don’t remember.  He wanted to know if I was laid off, and I told him I was on the night shift.”

“Was that all?”

“Pretty near.  He wanted to know what we was in such a hurry about, working nights, and I said we had to be through by January first.  Then he said he supposed it must be for some rich man who didn’t care how much it cost him; and I said yes, it was.  That was all.  He didn’t mean nothing.  We were just passing the time of day.  I don’t see any harm in that.”

Bannon was leaning on the rail, his face away from Peterson.  After a while he spoke thoughtfully.  “Well, that cinches it.  I guess he meant to hold us up, anyway, but now he knows we’re a good thing.”

“How’s that?  I don’t see,” said Peterson; but Bannon made no reply.

“What did he have to offer the next time he came around?  More in the same friendly way?  When was it?”

“Just this afternoon.  Why, he said he was afraid we’d have a strike on our hands.”

“He ought to know,” said Bannon.  “Did he give any reason?”

“Yes, he did.  You won’t mind my speaking it right out, I guess.  He said the men didn’t like you, and if you wasn’t recalled they’d likely strike.  He said they’d work under me if you was recalled, but he didn’t think he could keep ’em from going out if you stayed.  That ain’t what I think, mind you; I’m just telling you what he said.  Then he kind of insinuated that I ought to do something about it myself.  That made me tired, and I told him to come to you about it.  I said you was the boss here now, and I was only the foreman of the night shift.”