"Why not?"
Mr. Dupont shoved an evening Times across his desk and pointed to a marked item that appeared therein.
"That will explain for itself," he said.
Gregory read:
RIOT AMONG THE FISHERMEN AT LEGONIA
This afternoon when the foreign fishermen were peaceably engaged with their seine, they were brutally attacked by a number of ex-soldiers and sailors employed by the Legonia Fish Cannery, and driven from the beach.
Gregory read no further.
"It's a lie, Mr. Dupont," he said hotly. "My men do not pick fights. A few nights ago the alien fishermen endeavored to crowd them off the beach and they——"
Mr. Dupont interrupted with a peremptory wave of his hand.
"You may be right," he said. "But I'm not interested. Whatever the merits of the case are, the fact remains that you are mixed up in a labor brawl with foreigners. As I stated to you this morning, we are conservative and until you get matters adjusted amicably with your competitors, we do not care to go into your proposition further."