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Course the Workers make a difference. All the difference in the world," he added hastily, catching Koppy's glowering glance. "But we got to go smooth, I say, all the same-e. He's getting suspicious. That whiffer he belted you to-day on the saloon-sign ought to about hold you for a while. When your toes curled over that log I thought we'd be measuring you for a coffin."
"But all I seem to get is a picture of a thousand bullets meanderin' about loose to-morrow night in the dark at midnight, and the worst of them's not going to be going away from us." The leader closed the mouth of the fearful one with a look. "Remember" the grimness of Koppy's tone was a threat "the girl's mine." "First catch your fish," muttered Werner. "All the others, kill.
From the open door of one of them Koppy's head appeared, and disappeared as quickly. He, too, understood. As Conrad approached the nearest cook-house, Koppy emerged hastily on his way to the next. Conrad changed his intentions and strolled on after the underforeman. The two men met face to face as Koppy was coming out. The foreman, inches shorter, laid a hand on the Pole's shoulder.
Perhaps it was the darting, all-seeing eyes, perhaps the exaggeration of diffidence, but Koppy gave the impression of thinking more than he said. "When we need help " Torrance began furiously. Conrad cut in more quietly, but he was evidently holding himself in check. "And so you sneak up and listen hide in the trees?" "No sneak." Something stronger peeped through Koppy's veneer.
Torrance's sky suddenly darkened Lefty Werner, Chico Morani, and Heppel, Koppy's special cronies. But he hid his concern beneath a grunt. He had no intention of making his grunt an invitation, but the three came on without pausing, and Werner greeted him with an embarrassed "good-evening, boss." Torrance rose and stepped back into the sitting room.
When five hundred fists thrust as many weapons into the air and cried for action, Werner felt the urge of action of his own. Slowly he slunk to the outskirts of the mob. "This," he said to himself, "is where Hugo Werner takes to the tall timbers. I don't hypnotise worth a cent. All Koppy's eagle eye does to me is warn me I'm not bullet-proof.
In moments of carefully developed hysteria they were reckless enough when the hour came they would probably go forward blindly, with the foolhardiness of the ignorant but Koppy's methods to-night were singularly unenflaming. Werner expressed himself first: "Like hell we do!" Koppy ignored their agitation; for some reason he did not choose to exercise then the petty arts of the leader.
A few minutes of search found him Koppy's shack. Though the door was open and the light burning, no one was there. Conrad hurried on. Even before he was conscious of assistance from his ears he knew he was approaching a great gathering of men. He was picking his way as carefully as he knew how, but he was no woodsman; now and then a twig snapped and his heart beat nervously.
"Koppy's underforeman, ain't he?" The halfbreed spat with disgust, and Torrance chuckled sympathetically. "If I did that every time I felt like it about Koppy, I'd be as dry as a camp-meeting in three days. You're not afraid of him, are you?" Mavy grinned. "Because Koppy's going to be some busy for the next few weeks hanging out under that trestle, and we'll need another underforeman perhaps."
Koppowski was standing on a car, legs far apart, heaving over great rocks with his bare hands. Two bohunks, unsuccessfully tussling with a huge piece, he unceremoniously pushed aside, to grip it with his callous hands. Slowly it tilted, balanced a moment, and bounded away to the valley with great thuds. "Ye mayn't be aware of it, gir-rl, but ye're expected to clap. Koppy's showing off.
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