"Then you'll wait till pay-day for it, Rondeau. You know our rules.
Any man who quits without notice waits until the regular pay-day for
his money."
Jules advanced until he towered directly over the manager. "I tol'
M'sieur I would have my time," he repeated once more. "Is M'sieur
deaf in zee ears?" He raised his right hand, much as a bear raises
its paw; his blunt fingers worked a little and there was a smoldering
fire in his dark eyes.
Without further protest Sexton opened the safe, counted out the wages
due, and took Rondeau's receipt.
"Thank you, M'sieur," the woods-boss growled as he swept the coin
into his pocket. "Now I work for M'sieur Cardigan; so, M'sieur, I
will have zee switchengine weeth two flat-cars and zee wrecking-car.
Doze dam trash on zee crossing--M'sieur Cardigan does not like, and
by gar, I take heem away. You onderstand, M'sieur? I am Jules
Rondeau, and I work for M'sieur Cardigan. La la, M'sieur!" The great
hand closed over Sexton's collar. "Not zee pistol--no, not for Jules
Rondeau."
Quite as easily as a woman dresses a baby, he gagged Sexton with
Sexton's own handkerchief, laid him gently on the floor and departed,
locking the door behind him and taking the key. At the corner of the
building, where the telephone-line entered the office, he paused,
jerked once at the wire, and passed on, leaving the broken ends on
the ground.
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