dent and gratuitous, and he had a hot-headed impulse to challenge it. Then, before he could act so foolishly, the challenge was taken out of his mouth.
"Colonel Halket!" cried a voice, and Floyd, turning his head, saw Hugh Farrell on his feet in the midst of the audience. "Colonel Halket—kindly step one side, Mr. Tustin; I'm addressing Colonel Halket."
He held out a hand, motioning to Tustin to sit down. Tustin stood leaning forward, looking at him with a crooked smile.
"Mr. Farrell has the floor and will address a question to Colonel Halket," he announced. "Let me recommend you to be brief, Mr. Farrell; others desire to speak."
"I don't recognize your authority, Mr. Tustin," cried Farrell hotly. "If you choose to stand there, stand; what I have to say can just as well be said in your face. It concerns you and your gang; stand and take your medicine, or sit down and take it; I don't care."
At this there was a commotion, the scraping of chairs and stamping of feet as men turned to see the speaker, and instantly an ominously general hissing which swept down upon the few scattered outbreaks of applause. The two men stood facing each other angrily; behind Tustin Colonel Halket rose and then hesitated, irresolute and confused. When he could be heard, Tustin shouted in a defiant voice, "I'll give you every advantage, Mr. Farrell; I'll sit down."
He returned to his chair, and seating himself, crossed his legs, thrust his hands into his pockets, and looked carelessly up at the ceiling all through Farrell's speech. And all through it Colonel Halket stood, puzzled, irresolute.
"Colonel Halket," said Hugh, speaking very fast, but clearly and incisively, "once before you've forced some of us into a combination against our will. The Affiliated Iron-Workers came along and you opened wide the gates,
