He greeted Jimmy Torrance almost affably, but he lost something of his self-composure when Mason Compton arrived at the office, for Bince had been sure that his employer would be laid up for at least another week, during which time Murray would have completed his work.
The noon mail brought a letter from Murray.
“Show the enclosed to Compton,” it read. “Tell him you found it on your desk, and destroy this letter.” The enclosure was a crudely printed note on a piece of soiled wrapping-paper:
TREAT YOUR MEN RIGHT OR
SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES
I. W. W.
Bince laid Murray’s letter face down upon the balance of the open mail, and sat for a long time looking at the ominous words of the enclosure. At first he was inclined to be frightened, but finally a crooked smile twisted his lips. “Murray’s not such a fool, after all,” he soliloquized.
“He’s framing an alibi before he starts.”
With the note in his hand, Bince entered Compton’s office, where he found the latter dictating to Edith Hudson. “Look at this thing!” exclaimed Bince, laying the note before Compton. “What do you suppose it means?”
Compton read it, and his brows knitted. “Have the men been complaining at all?” he asked.
“Recently I have heard a little grumbling,” replied Bince. “They haven’t taken very kindly to Torrance’s changes, and I guess some of them are afraid they are going to lose their jobs, as they know he is cutting down the force in order to cut costs.”
“He ought to know about this,” said Compton. “Wait; I’ll have him in,” and he pressed a button on his desk. A moment later Jimmy entered, and Compton showed him the note.