“Know what that means?” he demanded.
“We don’t, and are not at all anxious to know,” retorted Griscom, turning to leave the hall.
“It means that you are blacklisted!” shouted 110 Evans, rising to his feet. “As to you, Fairbanks, I owe you one, and the time has come when I am in power. Think twice—join us, or it will be the worse for you.”
“Come on, lad,” directed Griscom.
“Men,” roared Evans to his mob of friends, “those two are on the black list. Notice them particularly, and hit hard when you strike.”
Ralph went home somewhat disturbed by the episode, but not at all alarmed. He knew that such complications were frequent among the unions. His mother, however, was quite worried over the affair.
“That fellow Evans is a bad man, and has a personal hatred for you, Ralph,” she said. “Besides that, as we know, he has been incited to make you trouble by Mr. Farrington. Be careful of yourself, my son, for I fear he may try to do you some mischief.”
“I can only go on in the clear path of duty,” said Ralph sturdily.
The next morning the roundhouse was in quite a tumult. Its vicinity was picketed by the strikers. Ralph entered the place to find Tim Forgan, the foreman, in a state of great excitement and worry. There were not men enough for the regular runs.
“Take out your regular train,” he said to 111 Griscom, “but I believe it will be annulled and new orders issued at the city end of the line. We’re in for trouble, I can tell you. The strikers make some pretty bad threats, and you want to watch every foot of the route until this strike is settled one way or the other.”