The young man smiled with an air of embarrassment.
"Yes," said he, "we need them sometimes in the place I come from."
"And where may that be?"
"I'm last from Chicago."
"A stranger in these parts?"
"Yes."
"You may find you need it here," said the workman.
"Ah! is that so?" The young man seemed interested.
"Have you heard nothing of doings hereabouts?"
"Nothing out of the way."
"Why, I thought the country was full of it. You'll hear quick enough. What made you come here?"
"I heard there was always work for a willing man."
"Are you a member of the union?"
"Sure."
"Then you'll get your job, I guess. Have you any friends?"
"Not yet; but I have the means of making them."
"How's that, then?"
"I am one of the Eminent Order of Freemen. There's no town without a lodge, and where there is a lodge I'll find my friends."
The remark had a singular effect upon his companion. He glanced round suspiciously at the others in the car. The miners were still whispering among themselves. The two police officers were dozing. He came across, seated himself close to the young traveller, and held out his hand.
"Put it there," he said.
A hand-grip passed between the two.
"I see you speak the truth," said the workman. "But it's well to make certain." He raised his right hand to his right eyebrow. The traveller at once raised his left hand to his left eyebrow.
"Dark nights are unpleasant," said the workman.
年轻人不自然地笑了笑。
“是啊，"他说道，“在我来的那地方，有时我们需要用它。”
“那是什么地方呢？”
“我刚从芝加哥来。”
“你对此地还不熟悉吧？”
“是的。”
“你会发现在这里也用得着它，"这个工人说道。
“啊！果真么？"年轻人似乎很关心地问道。
“你没听说这附近出过事么？”
“没有听到有什么不正常的事。”
“嗨！这里出的事多极了，用不多时你就会听个够。你为啥事到这里来的？”
“我听说这里愿意干活儿的人总是找得到活儿干。”
“你是工会里的人么？”
“当然了。”
“我想，那你也会有活儿干的。你有朋友吗？”
“还没有，不过我是有办法交朋友的。”
“怎么个交法呢？”
“我是自由人会的会员，没有一个城镇没有它的分会，只要有分会我就有朋友可交。”
这一席话对对方产生了异常作用，那工人疑虑地向车上其他人扫视了一眼，看到矿工们仍在低声交谈，两个警察正在打盹。他走过来，紧挨年轻旅客坐下，伸出手来，说道： “把手伸过来。”
两个人握了握手对暗号。
“我看出你说的是真话。不过还是要弄清楚些好。”
他举起右手，放到他的右眉边。年轻人立刻举起左手，放到左眉边。
“黑夜是不愉快的，"这个工人说道。