Torrance took it out on his pipe for three minutes. "Then off you make for the camp," he decided, "and fire them. Don't let 'em even spend the night here. If I set eyes on one of them again there'll be murder; I won't be responsible for myself if that cur Werner's smirking physog gets in front of me; and I'll punch Morani on sight, just for safety-first."
Conrad rose and went to the door, where he stood in silence a long time looking through the darkness to the camp lights.
"I'm thinking of the work," he said gravely.
"Oh!" snapped Torrance. "I'm not, of course!"
"Sometimes I question it. Werner and Morani and Heppel were sent by the bohunks. With Koppy they have the whole bunch in the hollow of their hands. We couldn't face a strike at this time of the year; we'd never get another crew now till next spring—and you couldn't stand that. . . . Don't imagine you've cowed them through their delegation. I'm willing to wager the camp never hears of the fight; it might disillusion them of a fancied power. Koppy knows better than to let them know they're licked."
"I said to fire them." Torrance spoke so calmly that Conrad searched his eyes with unaccustomed concern. Yet the foreman did not falter.
"There are other things to consider—"
The contractor raised himself to his full height and frowned down on the smaller man. "You seem to misunderstand your position, Adrian Conrad. What did I hire you for?"
"For quarter what I'm worth," replied Conrad caustically.
Torrance blinked twice, then, coldly: