There could be no question as to the meaning of the speaker. Tom Reade was being ordered out of town.
CHAPTER V. TOM HAS NO PLANS FOR LEAVING TOWN
“My plans for leaving town?” repeated Tom pleasantly. “Why, gentlemen, I'll meet your question frankly by saying that I haven't made any such plans.”
“You're going to do so, aren't?” inquired Duff casually.
“By the time that my partner and I have finished our work for the road, Mr. Duff, I imagine that we shall be making definite plans to go away, unless the railroad officials decide to keep us here with Paloma as headquarters for other work.”
“We believe that it would be much better for your health if you went away at once,” Duff insisted, with a mildness that did not disguise his meaning in the least.
Tom deemed it not worth while to pretend any longer that he did not understand.
“Oh, then it's a case of 'Here's your hat. What's your hurry?'” asked Reade smilingly.
“Something in that line,” assented Jim Duff. “I venture to assure you that we are quite in earnest in our anxiety for your welfare, Mr. Reade.”
“I understand you, of course,” Tom nodded.
“Now, Mr. Duff, I'll tell you what I propose. I'm curious to know just how many there are on your side of the fence. Pardon me, but I really can't quite believe that the better citizens of this town are behind you. I know too many Arizona men, and I have too good an opinion of them. Your kind of crowd makes a lot of noise at times, and the other kind of Arizona crowd rarely makes any noise. I know, of course, the element in the town that your committee represents, but I don't believe that your element is by any means in the majority here.”
“I assure you that we represent the sentiment of the town,” Duff retorted steadily.
“Much as I regret the necessity for seeming to slight your opinion,” Tom went on with as pleasant a smile as at first, “I call for a showing of hands or a count of noses. I'll tell you what we'll do, Mr. Duff, if it meets with your approval. We'll hire a hall, sharing the expense. We'll state the question fairly in the local newspaper, and we'll invite all good citizens to turn out, meet in the hall, hear the case on both sides, and then decide for themselves whether they want the railroad engineers to leave the town or--”