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Page 31
"Don't waste any time or heat on him, Mr. Payson," Tom advised, slipping
his handful of letters into his coat and tossing that garment to the
back of the room. "If Bellas has any grudge against me, I don't want to
stop him from making his last kick."
Tom took a step forward, his open hands hanging at his sides. He didn't
look by any means alarmed, though Bellas appeared to be about twice the
young chief engineer's size.
So prompt had been Reade's action that, for a moment, Bellas looked
astounded. Then, with a roar, he leaped forward, swinging both arms and
closing in.
Tom Reade had had his best physical training on the football gridiron.
He dropped, instantly, as he leaped forward, making a low tackle and
rising with both arms wrapped around Bellas's knees. Tom took two swift
steps forward, then heaved his man, head first, out through the open
doorway.
Bellas landed about eight feet away. He was not hurt, beyond a jolting,
and leaped to his feet, shaking both fists.
"Not unless you really insist upon it," smiled Tom, shaking his head.
"It's too warm for exercise to-day."
"You tricky little whipper-snapper!" roared Bellas, making an angry
bound for the doorway.
Tom met his angry rush. Both went down, rolling over and over on the
ground. Bellas wound his powerful arms about the boy, and would have
crushed him. Though Tom hated to do it, there was no alternative but to
choke the powerful bully. Bellas soon let go, dazed and gasping. Ere
the big fellow came to his senses sufficiently to know what he was
about, Reade had hoisted Bellas to one shoulder.
Down by the checker's hut the crowd of curious workmen gasped as they
saw Tom Reade jogging along with this great load over one shoulder.
Reaching the line, Tom gave another heave. Bellas rolled on the ground.
He was conscious and could have gotten up, but he chose to lay where he
had fallen and think matters over.
"Don't think I'm peevish, men," Tom called pleasantly. "I wouldn't have
done that if Bellas hadn't attacked me. I had to defend myself. Now,
while I'm here, does any man wish to make a claim for justice? Does
any man feel that he has been discharged unfairly?"
Three or four men answered, though none of the Mexicans was among the
number. When questioned as to whether they had spent the night among
Jim Duff's friends all the speakers admitted that they had. Tom then
made them the same explanation he had offered Bellas.
"That's about all that can be said, isn't it, men?" Tom asked in
conclusion. "I am sorry for those of you who feel hurt, but while there
is bad blood in the air every man must choose between one camp or the
other. You men chose Jim Duff, and you'll have to abide by your choice."
"But we haven't any money," declared one of the men sullenly.
"Now you're just beginning to understand that Jim Duff won't be a very
good friend to a penniless man. Didn't you know that when you shook all
your change into his hat?"
"Are you going to let us starve?" growled the man.
"You won't starve, nor need you be out of work long," Tom retorted. "Any
man who can do the work of a railway laborer in this country doesn't
have to remain out of a job. Now, I'll ask you to get off the
railroad's ground."
Tom turned and went back to the office, while Payson and the other
foremen saw to it that the discharged men left the railroad's property.
In less than half an hour the disgruntled ones were back in the worst
haunts of Paloma, spreading the news of Tom Reade's latest outrage.
When Tom reached the office he found Mr. Ellsworth inside.
"I saw what you did, Reade, though you didn't know I was about. You
handled it splendidly. You made it plain enough, too, to the men that
they had joined the enemy and thereby declared against us."
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