He had no business that
could be destroyed by the other's underground methods, and he had no job to
lose. Until he had seen Joanne enter the scoundrel's red-and-white striped
tent he had never hated a man as he now hated Quade. He had loathed him
before, and had evaded him because the sight of him was unpleasant; now he
wanted to grip his fingers around his thick red throat. He had meant to
come up behind Quade's tent, but changed his mind and walked into the
lighted trail between the two rows of tents and shacks, his hands thrust
carelessly into his trousers pockets. The night carnival of the railroad
builders was on. Coarse laughter, snatches of song, the click of pool balls
and the chink of glasses mingled with the thrumming of three or four
musical instruments along the lighted way. The phonograph in Quade's place
was going incessantly. Half a dozen times Aldous paused to greet men whom
he knew. He noted that there was nothing new or different in their manner
toward him. If they had heard of his trouble with Quade, he was certain
they would have spoken of it, or at least would have betrayed some sign.
For several minutes he stopped to talk with MacVeigh, a young Scotch
surveyor.
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