Crimmins was even more indifferent in regard to the
outcome--his pay as walking delegate went on, whichever side won;
he could wait.
In this emergency McGaw again sought Crimmins's assistance. He
urged the importance of his getting the contract, and he promised
to make Crimmins foreman on the street, and to give him a share in
the profits, if he would help him in some way to get the work now.
The first step, he argued, was the necessity of crushing Tom.
Everything else would be easy after that. Such a task, he felt,
would not be altogether uncongenial to Crimmins, still smarting
under Tom's contemptuous treatment of him the day he called upon
her in his capacity of walking delegate.
McGaw's tempting promise made a deep impression upon Crimmins. He
determined then and there to inflict some blow on Tom Grogan from
which she could never recover. He was equally determined on one
other thing--not to be caught.
Early the next morning Crimmins stationed himself outside
O'Leary's where he could get an uninterrupted view of two streets.
He stood hunched up against the jamb of O'Leary's door in the
attitude of a corner loafer, with three parts of his body touching
the wood--hip, shoulder, and cheek. For some time no one appeared
in sight either useful or inimical to his plans, until Mr.
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