“You mean t’ say I kin go out that door if I want to?” queried Hummel. “You sure can.” “An’ come back if I want to?” “No,” said Stanley, sweetly. “You can’t come back. If you go out, you lose your job.” “That’s it!” shouted Hummel, banging the table again. “We kin go out, but we can’t come back! Why can’t we come back?” “You’ll have to ask Mr. West,” replied Stanley. “Who’s he?” “He’s the chief dispatcher, and in charge here.” “That kid what sent for me this mornin’?” “The same. But he ain’t a kid an’ I’d advise you not to monkey with him.” “Pooh!” said Hummel, contemptuously. “I guess I kin hold my own with a purty boy like that. Where is he?” “I’ve sent for him. He’ll be here in a minute,” and indeed, even as he spoke the words, Allan entered. Hummel, thoroughly angry, looked Allan up and down with a single glance of the eye, and continued to stare at him impudently as he approached. “What’s the trouble, Stanley?” Allan queried, for he had heard Hummel’s excited voice as he opened the door. “Oh, I guess this feller has gone without booze about as long as he can stand it,” answered Stanley, with a wave of his hand toward the white-faced protestant. “He wants to go out an’ git some, I reckon.” “That’s a lie!” shouted Hummel, waving his arms in the air. “All I want is my rights as a free American citizen. You can’t work no peonage racket on me. You can’t keep me a prisoner—” “Nobody wants to,” broke in Allan. “Take your coat and hat and get out.” “And I will come back—” “No, you won’t—you’re fired. Get out.” “When do I get my wages?” “Next payday—in about three weeks.” “That’s justice, ain’t it! I kin afford t’ loaf around here three weeks, can’t I, t’ git one day’s pay!” “Leave your address and the check will be sent you,” said Allan. But that was just what Hummel could not do, for he had no idea where he would be in three weeks. Besides, a glance around at the faces of his companions showed him that he was going too fast—that he had not secured their sympathy. “All right,” he said, after a moment, controlling himself by a mighty effort. “I guess I kin stand it awhile longer. I just wanted t’ be sure you weren’t tryin’ to keep us prisoners. I’ll stay.” “No, you won’t,” retorted Allan, promptly. “I’ve already told you you’re fired. Now get out, or I’ll have Stanley throw you out. I guess you can do it, can’t you, Stanley?” “Try me,” said Stanley, grinning down from his six feet upon the little man before him. “Say the word.”