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Rh hall occupied by the strikers, but he did not meet Zeph. Then Ralph proceeded to the business portion of Stanley Junction. He visited the bank and several other leading local business institutions. He made a great many inquiries and he felt that he was on the edge of some important discoveries.

When he got home he found Zeph sitting on the porch, smiling as ever. Ralph nodded seriously to him. Zeph grinned outright.

"What's that kind of a welcome for, eh?" he demanded.

"Sorry to see you in the ranks of the strikers to-day, Zeph," observed Ralph.

"Ought to be glad."

"What?"

"I suppose a fellow is free to follow out his convictions, isn't he?"

"Certainly."

"Well, I'm following out mine," declared Zeph—"the conviction that of all the mean rascals in this burg, Jim Evans is the meanest. See here, Fairbanks, have you lost your wits? Do you really for one minute suppose I sympathize with those fellows?"

"You seemed pretty close to Evans."

"Grand!" chuckled Zeph. "That's just what I