“Percy,” said Hal, “you must _know_ I’m getting nothing! If you can’t understand it otherwise, say to yourself that you are dealing with a man who’s irresponsible. I’ve seen so many terrible things--I’ve been chased around so much by camp-marshals--why, Percy, that man Cotton has six notches on his gun! I’m simply crazy!” And into the brown eyes of this miner’s buddy came a look wild enough to convince a stronger man than Percy Harrigan. “I’ve got just one idea left in the world, Percy--to save those miners! You make a mistake unless you realise how desperate I am. So far I’ve done this thing incog! I’ve been Joe Smith, a miner’s buddy. If I’d come out and told my real name--well, maybe I wouldn’t have made them open the mine, but at least I’d have made a lot of trouble for the G. F. C.! But I didn’t do it; I knew what a scandal it would make, and there was something I owed my father. But if I see there’s no other way, if it’s a question of letting those people perish, I’ll throw everything else to the winds. Tell your father that; tell him I threatened to turn this man Keating loose and blow the thing wide open--denounce the company, appeal to the Governor, raise a disturbance and get arrested on the street, if necessary, in order to force the facts before the public. You see, I’ve got the facts, Percy! I’ve been there and seen with my own eyes. Can’t you realise that?” The other did not answer, but it was evident that he realised. “On the other hand, see how you can fix it, if you choose. You were on a pleasure trip when you heard of this disaster; you rushed up and took command, you opened the mine, you saved the lives of your employés. That is the way the papers will handle it.” Hal, watching his victim intently, and groping for the path to his mind, perceived that he had gone wrong. Crude as the Harrigans were, they had learned that it is not aristocratic to be picturesque. “All right then!” said Hal, quickly. “If you prefer, you needn’t be mentioned. The bosses up at the camp have the reporters under their thumbs, they’ll handle the story any way you want it. The one thing I care about is that you run your car up and see the mine opened. Won’t you do it, Percy?” Hal was gazing into the other’s eyes, knowing that life and death for the miners hung upon his nod. “Well? What is the answer?” “Hal,” exclaimed Percy, “my old man will give me hell!” “All right; but on the other hand, _I’ll_ give you hell; and which will be worse?” Again there was a silence. “Come along, Percy! For God’s sake!” And Hal’s tone was desperate, alarming. And suddenly the other gave way. “All right!” Hal drew a breath. “But mind you!” he added. “You’re not going up there to let them fool you! They’ll try to bluff you out--they may go as far as to refuse to obey you. But you must stand by your guns--for, you see, I’m going along, I’m going to see that mine open. I’ll never quit till the rescuers have gone down!” “Will they go, Hal?”