The superintendent gazed moodily at the closed door for a moment, then he rose and walked to the window and stared down over the yards.
“Well,” he said at last, turning back to the others, “there are three courses open.”
“Three?” repeated Mr. Plumfield, in evident surprise.
“Yes, three. In the first place, we can back down and reinstate Bassett.”
“Yes.”
“In the second place, we can refuse to do it and fight it out.”
“Yes.”
“And in the third place we can avoid either.”
“How?”
“By bribing Nixon.”