“I dont know that I understand why you got to be that big of a success. But what are you trying to tell me?”

He fidgeted in his chair so much that I knew there was more. He leaned forward, laced his fingers together.

“You know how they are in Boston. You know how they feel about the United Mineworkers. They’d close this place down before they’d see the union come in here. You know that, don’t you?”

I set down my bowl of ice cream. “Go on.”

“One of my miners got drunk in Justice yesterday and let out that he had joined the union. Some of the Baldwin guards roughed him up and he told them who the organizer is.”

I pressed my lips together and sat up straight. “Who is it?” I asked.

“It’s Lloyd. Only his name isn’t Lloyd Justice. It’s Rondal Lloyd.”

“Oh, God, Miles! You wont hurt him? You wont let them hurt him?”

I tried to recall what I’d heard of organizers, how they were beaten, sometimes killed. Another thought came to me, almost as frightening.

“You wont make him leave?”

“I can’t have it, Sis. Those guards got me a list of everybody that’s joined. It’s over half the mine. By the end of summer, they’d be ready to walk out on me. He’s figured out who my informers are and avoided them, because I haven’t heard a word about this until now.”

“Your informers,” I said. “So that’s why them men come to visit you. That is low down, Miles.”

“How the hell else am I supposed to know what’s going on?” He stood up and leaned on the porch rail, his back to me.

“Lots of operators would have beat him half to death by now, Carrie. You got to understand my position. The Baldwin people have got a lead on him. Seems they know him from before, over in Justice County. I’ve already warned him what I know, told him to get out.”

“Damn you, Miles.”

“Carrie, I’ve got to fire all those men. I’ve got to put them and their families out of their houses. How do you think I feel? If he hadn’t come in here, those people would still have jobs.”

“If you’d let them have the union—”

“Carrie—”

“I know. Boston wont let you. You aint no man, Miles. You aint got no backbone nor principles.”

He walked to the door. “He’ll be leaving soon as it gets dark.” He went inside.

I ran down the hill to the Widow Schoolcraft’s. The rain had stopped and the fresh air cut my lungs. Rondal sat on the front steps.

“I figured you’d be by here,” he said.

“Why didn’t you tell me? I didn’t even know your real name.”

“Why should I tell you? Why should I trust you with my life?”

“I trusted you. I trusted you with my life, and more.”

“If that’s what you did, you’re a damn fool. Hit aint my job to justify your faith in mankind.”