“Very well,” said Bonbright.  He walked to the library, and, standing in the door, stirred by excitement so that his knees quivered and a great emptiness was within him, he said to his father, “There’s rioting at the plant, sir.”

Then he turned, put on his coat and hat, and quietly left the house.

There was rioting at the mills!  Bonbright was going to see what rioting was like, what it meant.  It was no impulse, no boyish spirit of adventure or curiosity, that was taking him, but a command.  No sooner had Rangar spoken the words over the telephone than Bonbright knew he must go.

“Whatever is happening,” he said to himself, “I’m going to be blamed for it.”

With some vague juvenile notion of making himself unrecognizable he turned up the collar of his coat and pulled down his cap. ...

When still some blocks from the mills a patrol wagon filled with officers careened past him, its gong emitting a staccato, exciting alarm.  Here was reality.  Bonbright quickened his step; began to run.  Presently he entered the street that lay before the face of the factory—­a street lighted by arc lamps so that the scene was adequately visible.  As far as the main gates into the factory yards the street was in the possession of the police; beyond them surged and clamored the mob, not yet wrought to the pitch of attack.  Bonbright thought of a gate around the corner.  He would enter this and ascend to his office, whence he could watch the street from his window.

Before the gate a man sat on a soap box, a short club dangling by a thong from his wrist.  As Bonbright approached he arose.

“What you want?” he demanded, taking a businesslike grip on his weapon.

“I want to go in,” said Bonbright.  “I’m Mr. Foote.”

The man grinned.  “To be sure, Mr. Foote.  Howdy, Mr. Foote.  You’ll be glad to meet me.  I’m Santa Claus.”

“I tell you I’m Mr. Foote.  I want to go inside.”

“And I tell you,” said the man, suddenly dropping his grin, “to beat it—­while you’re able.”

Youthful rage sent its instant heat through Bonbright.  For an instant he meditated jerking the man from that gate by the nape of the neck and teaching him a lesson with his athletic foot. ...  It was not fear of the result that deterred him; it was the thought that this man was his own employee, placed there by him for this very purpose.  If the guard made him bristle with rage, how would the sight of the man and his club affect the strikers?  He was a challenge and an insult, an invitation to violence.  Bonbright turned and walked away, followed by a derisive guffaw from the strike breaker.

Bonbright retraced his steps and approached the rear of the police.  Here he was stopped by an officer.

“Where you goin’?”

“I’m Mr. Foote,” said Bonbright.  “I want to see what’s happening.”