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398 case of Tibbs, for instance. He must be thinking I've done him a poor service to bring him on here from East Liverpool, where he had a good job, and then lock him out of the mills. I want you to see that his wages are continued as long as this trouble lasts. And see that the same is done for Farrell. Neither of those men is likely to participate to any large extent in the strike benefits of the union—and I feel it's the company's duty to take care of them."

"Yes, I'll attend to that," Gregg answered. "They'll have judgment enough, I suppose, not to talk about it."

"The other thing," Floyd said, with a faint smile, "is this. Unless you object very strongly, I'm going to give myself a three days' leave of absence."

"I don't see why not. Things here are quiet enough; there's not likely to be anything urgent very soon." "That's what I think. And I have a matter up in New Hampshire that I want to attend to. I can leave to-night and get back Friday morning—only three days away. So if you're willing, I'll go."

"Yes, indeed—good thing for you. When you come back, you'll find us standing pat; there won't be anything else to do. Why don't you make it a week, Mr. Halket? You need a vacation, and we'll rub along."

Floyd shook his head. "Three days will be enough, I think. Wish me luck and I'll be back here Thursday morning."

He bade the superintendent good-by; downstairs he paused at the telegraph operator's desk to send a dispatch. He addressed it to Marion Clark at Westlake, New Hampshire. "Shall be in Westlake to-morrow afternoon; hope to see you," he wrote.

Though he was careful to make the visit seem so casual, it was for that alone that he was setting out upon the journey. The resolution had sprung suddenly alive that morning out of restlessness. The day before, some one at the club, talking with him about Stewart's inexplicable