“You’re the goddamn chief of police! You saying you cant protect me no more?”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying. This aint just a threat. Hit’s like they got a contract out on you. You’re going to git your ass on a train out of here tonight.”

I had never seen Isom upset. His face was splotched with red and his scalp shone beneath the thinning hair.

“We knowed from the start it would be dangerous. I’m the leader of this here strike,” Rondal said.

“Somebody else can be the leader,” Albion said softly.

“You’d like that, wouldnt you, preacher? You’d like to be in charge yourself, wouldn’t you? You’d like to stop the shooting; hit scares you. Besides, you got other reasons you want to git shut of me.”

He looked straight at me as he spoke. I knew what he thought, that Albion was jealous of him, and I hated him for thinking it, hated his arrogance. “I aint caring for what you’re implying,” I said. “You better come right out and say it.”

“Oh, Lordy, now I done got Miss Carrie riled. I’m saying somebody has set me up, and this here is the only feller in the room I cant trust.”

“Now you’re talking crazy,” Dr. Booker said. “You been set up to be shot in a whorehouse. How would this boy know about that?”

Rondal continued to glare at Albion. But everyone else in the room was watching Rondal. And it occurred to me that someone else had called the meeting, that everyone, even Albion, knew what was about to happen. Everyone except Rondal.

“I’m the organizer here,” he said as though to convince himself.

“You’re the organizer,” Albion said, “but they ought to be other leaders. Miners. We got to believe in ourselves. Ifn you’re the leader and you git kilt, that would take all the heart outen us. We depend on you too much. You ought to pull back, for your sake and ourn.”

“I aint leaving on your say so,” Rondal said.

“Listen to him!” Isom said sharply. “Buddy, you know I’m the last one that wants to see you leave. But when it comes to what we’re doing here, they’s safety in numbers. Folks talk about you too much. You’re starting to stand out.”

“No! I aint leaving.”

“You got no choice,” Doctor Booker said. “Telegram come this afternoon. Union is pulling you out. They got other organizers.”

Rondal leaned against the mantel and buried his face in his arm.

“You got to git, big brother,” Talcott said. “But dont worry, Ruby wont be lonesome. She done took up with a gun thug already.”

Rondal looked up. “What the hell are you talking about?”

Talcott laughed. “You stupid sonofabitch! Who do you think set you up? And you’re blaming a damn preacher. But they do say love is blind.”

Rondal swung at him, but Talcott dodged. Isom pulled Rondal away.

“Hit aint worth it, son,” he said. “Ruby aint worth it.”