"He's inside," answered one, not cordially. With Edward following, Hal entered, and was ushered into the private office of the superintendent.
Having been a working-man, and class-conscious, Hal was observant of the manners of mine-superintendents; he noted that Cartwright bowed politely to Edward, but did not include Edward's brother. "Mr. Cartwright," he said, "I have come to you as a deputation from the workers of this camp."
The superintendent did not appear impressed by the announcement.
"I am instructed to say that the men demand the redress of four grievances before they return to work. First--"
Here Cartwright spoke, in his quick, sharp way. "There's no use going on, sir. This company will deal only with its men as individuals. It will recognise no deputations."
Hal's answer was equally quick. "Very well, Mr. Cartwright. In that case, I come to you as an individual."
For a moment the superintendent seemed nonplussed.
"I wish to ask four rights which are granted to me by the laws of this state. First, the right to belong to a union, without being discharged for it."
The other had recovered his manner of quiet mastery. "You have that right, sir; you have always had it. You know perfectly well that the company has never discharged any one for belonging to a union."
The man was looking at Hal, and there was a duel of the eyes between them. A cold anger moved Hal. His ability to endure this sort of thing was at an end. "Mr. Cartwright," he said, "you are the servant of one of the world's greatest actors; and you support him ably."
The other flushed and drew back; Edward put in quickly: "Hal, there's nothing to be gained by such talk!"
"He has all the world for an audience," persisted Hal. "He plays the most stupendous farce--and he and all his actors wearing such solemn faces!"
"Mr. Cartwright," said Edward, with dignity, "I trust you understand that I have done everything I can to restrain my brother."
"Of course, Mr. Warner," replied the superintendent. "And you must know that I, for my part, have done everything to show your brother consideration."
"Again!" exclaimed Hal. "This actor is a genius!"
"Hal, if you have business with Mr. Cartwright--"
"He showed me consideration by sending his gunmen to seize me at night, drag me out of a cabin, and nearly twist the arm off me! Such humour never was!"
Cartwright attempted to speak--but looking at Edward, not at Hal. "At that time--"
"He showed me consideration by having me locked up in jail and fed on bread and water for two nights and a day! Can you beat that humour?"
"At that time I did not know--"
"By forging my name to a letter and having it circulated in the camp!
Finally--most considerate of all--by telling a newspaper man that I had seduced a girl here!"
The superintendent flushed still redder. "_No!_" he declared.
"_What?_" cried Hal. "You didn't tell Billy Keating of the _Gazette_ that I had seduced a girl in North Valley? You didn't describe the girl to him--a red-haired Irish girl?"
"I merely said, Mr. Warner, that I had heard certain rumours--"
"_Certain_ rumours, Mr. Cartwright? The certainty was all of your making! You made a definite and explicit statement to Mr. Keating--"
"I did not!" declared the other.
"I'll soon prove it!" And Hal started towards the telephone on Cartwright's desk.
"What are you going to do, Hal?"
"I am going to get Billy Keating on the wire, and let you hear his statement."
"Oh, rot, Hal!" cried Edward. "I don't care anything about Keating's statement. You know that at that time Mr. Cartwright had no means of knowing who you were."
Cartwright was quick to grasp this support. "Of course not, Mr. Warner!
Your brother came here, pretending to be a working boy--"
"Oh!" cried Hal. "So that's it! You think it proper to circulate slanders about working boys in your camp?"
"You have been here long enough to know what the morals of such boys are."
"I have been here long enough, Mr. Cartwright, to know that if you want to go into the question of morals in North Valley, the place for you to begin is with the bosses and guards you put in authority, and allow to prey upon women."
Edward broke in: "Hal, there's nothing to be gained by pursuing this conversation. If you have any business here, get it over with, for God's sake!"
Hal made an effort to recover his self-possession. He came back to the demands of the strike--but only to find that he had used up the superintendent's self-possession. "I have given you my answer," declared Cartwright, "I absolutely decline any further discussion."
"Well," said Hal, "since you decline to permit a deputation of your men to deal with you in plain, business-like fashion, I have to inform you as an individual that every other individual in your camp refuses to work for you."
The superintendent did not let himself be impressed by this elaborate sarcasm. "All I have to tell you, sir, is that Number Two mine will resume work in the morning, and that any one who refuses to work will be sent down the canyon before night."
"So quickly, Mr. Cartwright? They have rented their homes from the company, and you know that according to the company's own lease they are entitled to three days' notice before being evicted!"
Cartwright was so unwise as to argue. He knew that Edward was hearing, and he wished to clear himself. "They will not be evicted by the company. They will be dealt with by the town authorities."
"Of which you yourself are the head?"
"I happen to have been elected mayor of North Valley."
"As mayor of North Valley, you gave my brother to understand that you would put me out, did you not?"
"I asked your brother to persuade you to leave."
"But you made clear that if he could not do this, you would put me out?"
"Yes, that is true."
"And the reason you gave was that you had had instructions by telegraph from Mr. Peter Harrigan. May I ask to what office Mr. Harrigan has been elected in your town?"
Cartwright saw his difficulty. "Your brother misunderstood me," he said, crossly.
"Did you misunderstand him, Edward?"