STEVE'S SUSPICIONS AROUSED
"ARE you going to the meeting to-night?" asked a foreman of a shift, pausing at Steve Rush's main drift.
"Why, yes, of course; aren't you!"
"I guess so. I hear there will be something doing to-night."
This conversation took place on the day following the meeting at which Cavard had so successfully outwitted his young opponents and had carried the meeting through in accordance with his own ideas. As yet neither Steve nor Bob had heard of the meeting. They, with others of their fellows, had received cards that morning saying, "There will be a special meeting of the union this evening at the usual time and place."
The cards were undated and they had not thought to look at the post mark, taking for granted that the meeting was to be held on the evening of that day.
"There ain't going to be any meeting to-night," volunteered a miner who had overheard the conversation.
"Yes, there is. Here is the card saying that there will be," answered Rush, exhibiting the card he had received that morning.
"Naw; no such thing. The meeting was last night," continued the miner. "Ain't you heard about it?"
Steve looked at the fellow to see if he were joking. He saw that the man was in earnest.