to him that hath-第47章

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Committee；　which　the　employers　decline　to　give；　but　they　will　not
ask　for　a　Conciliation　Board。〃

〃My　governor　says　it's　a　bluff；〃　said　Vic。　　〃The　unions　know　quite
well　that　McGinnis　et　hoc　genus　omne　will　have　nothing　to　do　with
an　Arbitration　Committee。　　Hence　they　are　all　for　an　Arbitration
Committee。　　On　the　other　hand；　neither　the　unions　nor　McGinnis　are
greatly　in　love　with　the　prying　methods　of　the　Conciliation　Board；
and　hence　reject　the　aid　of　the　Lemieux　Act。〃

〃But　why　should　they　all　be　dominated　by　a　man　like　McGinnis？〃
demanded　Adrien。　　〃Why　doesn't　some　employer　demand　a　Conciliation
Board？　　He　can　get　it；　you　know。〃

〃They　naturally　stand　together；〃　said　Hugh。

〃But　they　won't　long。　　Maitland　declares　that　he　will　take　either
board；　and　that　if　the　committee　cannot　agree　which　to　choose；　he
will　withdraw　and　make　terms　on　his　own。　　He　furthermore　gave　them
warning　that　if　any　strike…breakers　were　employed；　of　which　he　had
heard　rumours；　he　would　have　nothing　to　do　with　the　bunch。〃

〃Strike…breakers？〃　said　Adrien。　　〃That　would　certainly　mean　serious
trouble。〃

〃Indeed；　you　are　jolly　well　right；〃　said　Vic。　　〃We　will　all　be　in
it　then。　　Civic　guard！　　Special　police！　　'Shun！　　Fix　bayonets！
Prepare　for　cavalry！　　Eh？〃

〃Oh；　how　terrible　it　all　is；〃　said　Mrs。　Templeton。

〃Nonsense；　Vic；〃　said　Hugh。　　〃Don't　listen　to　him；　Mrs。　Templeton。
We　will　have　nothing　of　that　sort。〃

〃Well；　it　is　all　very　sad；〃　said　Mrs。　Templeton。　　〃But　here　is
Rupert。　　He　will　give　us　the　latest。〃

But　Rupert　appeared　unwilling　to　talk　about　the　meeting　of　the
morning。　　He　was　quite　certain；　however；　that　the　strike　was　about
to　break。　　He　had　inside　information　that　the　resources　of　the
unions　were　almost　exhausted。　　The　employers　were　tightening　up
all　along　the　line；　credits　were　being　refused　at　the　stores；　the
unions　were　torn　with　dissension；　the　end　was　at　hand。

〃It　would　be　a　great　mercy　if　it　would　end　soon；〃　said　Mrs。
Templeton。　　〃It　is　a　sad　pity　that　these　poor　people　are　so
misguided。〃

〃It　is　a　cruel　shame；　Mrs。　Templeton；〃　said　Rupert　indignantly。　　〃I
have　it　from　scores　of　them　that　they　didn't　want　to　strike　at　all。
They　were　getting　good　wagesthe　wage　scale　has　gone　up　steadily
during　the　war　to　the　present　extravagant　height。〃

〃The　cost　of　living　has　gone　up　much　more　rapidly；　I　believe；〃　said
Adrien。　　〃The　men　are　working　ten　hours　a　day；　the　conditions　under
which　they　labour　are　in　some　cases　deplorable；　that　McGinnis
foundry　is　a　ghastly　place；　terribly　unhealthy；　the　girls　in　many
of　the　factories　are　paid　wages　so　shamefully　low　that　they　can
hardly　maintain　themselves　in　decency；　and　they　are　continually
being　told　that　they　are　about　to　be　dismissed。　　The　wrong's　not
all　on　one　side；　by　any　means。　　To　my　mind；　men　like　McGinnis　who
are　unwilling　to　negotiate　are　a　menace　to　the　country。〃

〃You　are　quite　right；　Adrien；〃　replied　Hugh。　　〃I　consider　him　a
most　dangerous　man。　　That　sort　of　pig…headed；　bull…headed　employer
of　labour　does　more　to　promote　strife　than　a　dozen　'walking
delegates。'　　I　am　not　terribly　strong　for　the　unions；　but　the　point
of　vantage　is　always　with　the　employers。　　And　they　have　a　lot　to
learn。　　Oh；　you　may　look　at　me；　Adrien！　　I　am　no　bolshevist；　but　I
see　a　lot　of　these　men　in　our　office。〃



CHAPTER　XV

THE　STORM


Slowly　the　evening　was　deepening　into　night；　but　still　the　glow
from　the　setting　sun　lingered　in　the　western　sky。　　The　brave　little
songster　had　gone　from　the　top　of　the　elm　tree；　but　from　the
shrubbery　behind　the　church　a　whippoorwill　was　beginning　to　tune
his　pipe。

〃Oh；　listen　to　the　darling！〃　cried　Patricia。　　〃I　haven't　heard　one
for　a　long；　long　time。〃

〃There　used　to　be　a　great　many　in　the　shrubbery　here；　and　in　the
old　days　the　woods　nearby　were　full　of　them　in　the　evenings；〃　said
Mrs。　Templeton。

As　they　sat　listening　for　the　whippoorwill's　voice；　they　became
aware　of　other　sounds　floating　up　to　their　ears　from　the　town。
The　hum　of　passing　motors；　the　high；　shrill　laughter　of　children
playing　in　the　streets；　the　clang　of　the　locomotive　bell　from　the
railroad　station；　all　softened　by　distance。　　But　as　they　listened
there　came　another　sound　like　nothing　they　had　ever　heard　in　that
place　before。　　A　strange；　confused　rumbling；　with　cries　jutting　out
through　the　dull；　rolling　noise。　　A　little　later　came　the　faint
clash　of　rhythmic；　tumultuous　cheering。　　Patricia's　quick　ears　were
the　first　to　catch　the　sound。

〃Hush！〃　she　cried。　　〃What　is　that　noise？〃

Again　came　the　rumbling　sound；　punctuated　with　quick　volleys　of
cheering。　　The　men　glanced　at　each　other。　　They　knew　well　that
sound；　a　sound　they　had　often　heard　during　the　stirring　days　of　the
war；　in　the　streets　of　the　great　cities　across　the　seas；　and　in
other　places；　too；　where　men　were　wont　to　crowd。　　As　they　listened
in　tense　silence；　there　came　the　throbbing　of　a　drum。

〃My　dear；〃　said　Mrs。　Templeton　faintly　to　her　eldest　daughter；　〃I
think　I　shall　go　in。〃

At　once　Hugh　offered　her　his　arm；　while　Adrien　took　the　other；　and
together　they　led　her　slowly　into　the　house。

Meanwhile　the　others　tumbled　into　Rupert's　car　and　motored　down
to　the　gate；　and　there　waited　the　approach　of　what　seemed　to　be　a
procession　of　some　sort　or　other。

At　the　gate　Dr。　Templeton；　returning　from　his　pastor　visitations；
found　them　standing。

〃Come　here；　Papa！〃　cried　Patricia。　　〃Let　us　wait　here。　　There　is
something　coming　up　the　street。〃

〃But　what　is　it？〃　asked　Dr。　Templeton。　　〃Does　anybody　know？〃

〃I　guess　it　is　a　strikers'　parade；　sir。　　I　heard　that　they　were　to
organise　a　march…out　to…night。　　It　is　rather　a　ridiculous　thing。〃

Through　the　deepening　twilight　they　could　see　at　the　head　of　the
column　and　immediately　before　the　band；　a　double　platoon　of　young
girls　dressed　in　white；　under　the　command　of　an　officer
distinguished　from　the　others　by　her　red　sash；　all　marching　with　a
beautiful　precision　to　the　tap　of　the　drum。　　As　the　head　of　the
column　drew　opposite；　Patricia　touched　Vic's　arm。

〃Vic！〃　she　cried。　　〃Look！　　Look　at　that　girl！　　It　is　Annette！〃

〃My　aunt！　　So　it　is！〃　cried　Vic。　　〃Jove！　　What　a　picture　she　makes！
What　a　swing！〃

Behind　that　swinging　company　of　girls　came　the　band；　marching　to
the　tapping　of　the　drum　only。　　Then　after　a　space　came　a　figure；
pathetic；　arresting；　movinga　woman；　obviously　a　workman's　wife；
of　middle　age；　grey；　workworn；　and　carrying　a　babe　of　a　few　months
in　her　arms；　marched　alone。　　Plainly　dressed；　her　grey　head　bare；
she　walked　proudly　erect　but　with　evident　signs　of　weariness。　　The
appearance　of　that　lone；　weary；　grey…haired　woman　and　her　helpless
babe　struck　hard　upon　the　heart　with　its　poignant　appeal；　choking
men's　throats　and　bringing　hot　tears　to　women's　eyes。　　Following
that　lonely　figure　came　one　who　was　apparently　the　officer　in
command　of　the　column。　　As　he　came　opposite　the　gate；　his　eye　fell
upon　the　group　there。　　Swiftly　he　turned　about；　and；　like　a
trumpet；　his　voice　rang　out　in　command：

〃Ba…t…t…a…a…lion；　halt！！　　R…r…r…i…g…h…t　turn！〃

Immediately　the　whole　column　came　to　a　halt　and　faced　toward　the
side　of　the　street　where　stood　the　group　within　the　shadow　of　the
gate。

〃I　am　going　to　get　Annette；〃　said　Patricia　to　her　father；　and　she
darted　off；　returning　almost　immediately　with　the　leader　of　the
girls'　squad。

〃What　does　this　mean；　Annette？　　What　are　you　doing？　　It　is　a　great
lark！〃　cried　Patricia。

〃Well；　it　is　not　exactly　a　lark；〃　answered　Annette；　with　a　slight
laugh。　　〃You　see；　we　girls　want　to　help　out　the　boys。　　We　are
strikers；　too；　you　know。　　They　asked　us　to　take　part　in　the　parade；
and　here　we　are。　　But　it's　got　away　past　being　a　lark；〃　she
continued；　her　voice　and　face　growing　stern。　　〃There　is　a　lot　of
suffering　among　the　workers。　　I　know　all　my　money　has　gone；〃　she
added；　after　a　moment；　with　a　gay　laugh。

Meantime；　the　officer　commanding　the　column　had　spoken　a　few　words
to　the　leader　of　the　band；　and　in　response；　to　the　surprise　and
dismay　of　the　venerable　Doctor；　the　band　struck　up　that　rollicking
air　associated　with　the　time…honoured　chorus；　〃For　He's　a　Jolly
Good　Fellow。〃　　Then　all　stood　silent；　gazin