"It feels like velvet."
Arden laughed a little. "Come on, Joe, I'll turn you over to Black Tom and he'll put you to work doing something. He never likes to see anyone idle."
They crawled out of the wall cubby and down the ladder. A second white-garbed man had joined the power room head and they were talking together as Arden and Joe approached.
"That's Whitey Burnet," Arden said, and started, for Joe had halted dead in his tracks.
Black Tom Morrissey and Burnet turned then. Morrissey said, "Hello, Arlie," briefly and turned back to his gauge panel. Burnet stood rigid for a moment at the sight of Joe.
Then with three quick strides Burnet was at Joe. He said softly:
"Damn you, Joe." And lashed out with a hard fist. The blow caught Joe on the cheek, cutting the skin, and staggering him momentarily.
Joe started to swing his browned fist up, then slowly he lowered it. He looked at Burnet with quiet brown eyes.
"I can't hit you, Paul. You know that."
Paul's face was white. "No," he said, and he was almost bitter. "I know that." Then he turned his back on Joe and walked away.