Page:Stanwood Pier--The ancient grudge.djvu/444

Rh "Have you got that list—Farrell's list of the men who were with him?"

"Yes."

"Have each one of them examined; maybe you can get something out of them. Hunt up the driver of that milk-wagon and get his description of the fellows that turned Farrell over to him. There's evidence enough somewhere. I foresee, Mr. Gregg, that we shall have to take independent steps to protect our men from violence; there's no police protection for them here." "None," said Gregg.

"They shall be given protection," Floyd declared emphatically. "Within a week I shall open the mills, and any man that wants to shall walk in to work without fear of being mobbed at the gate."

"Maybe you can manage that. But then they're liable to get mobbed when they go home."

"I'll fix all that if it's necessary. I'll find them places where they can sleep and eat inside the works—under the company's protection. I'll fit up a lot of barges and moor them along the bank; from now on, if a man's willing to work, I mean to take care of him."

"I believe you do—I believe you will," said the superintendent, stirred by the young man's determined speech. "How do you propose to go about it?"

"I'll be able to give you details to-morrow. This afternoon when I get back to Avalon I'll see what arrangements can be made. It was a blunder—thinking we could start things up in this casual, easy-going, good-natured way; and it won't be repeated."

"You're right," cried Gregg, with one of the sudden outbursts of vigor which he showed sometimes and which Floyd loved. "After this you can't sit down and wait any longer. You've got to drive 'em—drive 'em—drive 'em right into the river."

Meanwhile, hardly two blocks away, in their bleak headquarters over the shoe-store, the executive committee