Part 24 (1/2)

”Yes. I was thinkin' o' that.”

”An' we could keep him in school mebbe till he's eighteen. Then he could get a place in some office or business. By that time Annie'll be old enough to go to normal college. She can go through there and learn to be a teacher.”

”An' mebbe I can get you some good clothes, like I've always wanted to.”

”Oh, you! D'you think you can buy everything with seventy dollars!” She leaned over with glowing eyes and kissed him.

Rapid work was required by the new campaign, for Tom had settled upon the first meeting in April as the time when he would have the demand for more wages put to a vote. The new campaign, however, would be much easier than the one that had just come to so disastrous an ending. As he had said, the men were already eager to make the demand for more money; his work was to unite this sentiment into a movement, and to urge upon the men that they be out to vote on the first Wednesday in April.

Tom's first step was to enlist the a.s.sistance of the nine other men who had helped him in his fight against Foley. He found that the vengeance of the walking delegate had been swift; seven had abruptly lost their jobs. When he had explained his new plan, eight of the nine were with him. The spirit of the ninth was gone.

”I've had enough,” he said bitterly. ”If I hadn't mixed in with you, I'd be all right now.” Upon this man Tom promptly turned his back. He was an excellent ally to be without.

Tom, with Pete, Barry, and his eight other helpers, began regularly to put in each evening in calling upon the members of the union. Every man they saw was asked to talk to others. And so the word spread and spread.

And to Foley it came among the first. Jake Henderson heard it whispered about the St. Etienne Hotel Sat.u.r.day, and when the day's work was done he hurried straight to Foley's home in order to be certain of catching Buck when he came in to dinner. He had to wait half an hour, but that time was not unpleasantly spent, inasmuch as Mrs. Foley set forth a bottle of beer.

When Foley caught the tenor of Jake's story his face darkened and he let out an oath. But immediately thereafter he caught hold of his excitement. While Jake talked Foley's mind worked rapidly. He did not want a strike for three sufficient reasons. First of all, that the move was being fathered by Tom was enough to make him its opponent. Secondly, he had absolutely nothing to gain from a strike; his power was great, and even a successful strike could not add to it. And last, he would lose financially by it; his arrangement with Baxter and one or two other contractors would come to an end, and in the management of a general strike so many persons were involved that he would have no chance to levy tribute.

Before Jake had finished his rather long-winded account Foley cut him short. ”Yes. I'm glad youse come in. I was goin' to send for youse to-night about this very thing.”

”What! Youse knew all about it already?”

Foley looked surprise at him. ”D'youse think I do nothin' but sleep?”

”n.o.body can't tell youse anything,” said Jake admiringly. ”Youse're right up to the minute.”

”Some folks find me a little ahead.” He pulled at his cigar. ”I got a little work for youse an' your bunch.”

Jake sprang up excitedly. ”Not Keating?”

”If youse could guess that well at the races youse'd always pick the winner. This business's got to stop, an' I guess that's the easiest way to stop it.” And, Foley might have added, the only way.

”He ought to've had it long ago,” said Jake, with conviction.

”He'll enjoy it all the more for havin' to wait for it.” He stood up, and Jake, accepting his dismissal, took his hat. ”Youse have a few o'

the boys around to-night, an' I'll show up about ten. Four or five ought to be enough--say Arkansas, Smoky, Kaffir Bill, and Hickey.”

Foley saw Connelly and two or three other members of his cabinet during the evening, and gave orders that the word was to go forth among his followers that he was against Keating's agitation; he knew the inside facts of present conditions, and knew there was no chance of winning a strike. At ten o'clock he sauntered into the rear room of Mulligan's saloon. Five men were playing poker. With the exception of one they were a group to make an honest man fall to his knees and quickly confess his sins. Such a guileless face had the one that the honest man would have been content with him as confessor. In past days the five had worked a little, each in his own part of the world, and not liking work had procured their living in more congenial ways; and on landing in New York, in the course of their wanderings, they had been gathered in by Foley as suited to his purpose.

”h.e.l.lo, Buck!” they called out at sight of Foley.

”h.e.l.lo, gents,” he answered. He locked the door with a private key, and kicked a chair up to the table.

”Say, Buck, I got a thirst like a barrel o' lime,” remarked he of the guileless face, commonly known as Arkansas Number Two. ”D'you know anything good for it?”

”The amount o' money I spend in a year on other men's drinks'd support a church,” Foley answered. But he ordered a quart of whisky and gla.s.ses.

”Now let's get to business,” he said, when they had been placed on the table. ”I guess youse've got an idea in your nuts as to what's doin'?”

”Jake put us next,” grinned Kaffir Bill. ”Keating.”