to him that hath-第38部分

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further；　let　me　say　that　upon　you　will　devolve　a　heavy　responsibility
for　the　guidance　you　give　these　men。　　Good…night　again。　　Remember
that　One　whom　we　both　acknowledge　as　the　source　of　all　true　light
said：　　'If　the　light　that　is　in　thee　be　darkness；　how　great　is　that
darkness。'〃　　He　shook　hands　first　with　the　mother；　then　with　the
son；　who　turned　away　from　him　with　a　curt　〃Good…night〃　and　nodded　to
Maitland。

For　a　moment　or　two　neither　of　the　men　spoke。　　They　were　both
grievously　disappointed　in　the　interview。

〃I　never　saw　him　like　that；〃　said　the　Reverend　Murdo　at　length。
〃What　can　be　the　matter　with　him？　　With　him　passion　is　darkening
counsel。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Maitland；　〃I　have　found　out　one　thing　that　I　wanted。〃

〃And　what　is　that？〃

〃These　men　clearly　do　not　want　what　they　are　asking　for。　　They　want
chiefly　warat　least；　McNish　does。〃

〃I　am　deeply　disappointed　in　McNish；〃　replied　the　minister；　〃and　I
confess　I　am　anxious。　　McNish；　above　all　others；　is　the　brains　of
this　movement；　and　in　that　mood　there　is　little　hope　of　reason　from
him。　　I　fear　it　will　be　a　sore　fight；　with　a　doubtful　issue。〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　despair；〃　said　Maitland　cheerily。　　〃I　have　an　idea　he
has　a　quarrel　with　me。　　He　wants　to　get　me。　　But　we　can　beat　him。〃

The　Reverend　Murdo　waited　for　a　further　explanation；　but　was　too
much　of　a　gentleman　to　press　the　point　and　kept　silent　till　they
reached　his　door。

〃You　will　not　desert　us；　Mr。　Matheson；〃　said　Maitland　earnestly。

〃Desert　you？　　It　is　my　job。　　These　people　are　my　people。　　We　cannot
desert　them。〃

〃Right　you　are；〃　said　Maitland。　　〃Cheerio。　　We'll　carry　on。　　He
shook　hands　warmly　with　the　minister　and　went　off；　whistling
cheerily。

〃That　is　a　man　to　follow；〃　said　the　minister　to　himself。　　〃He　goes
whistling　into　a　fight。〃



CHAPTER　XIII

THE　STRIKE


The　negotiations　between　the　men　and　their　employers；　in　which　the
chief　exponents　of　the　principles　of　justice　and　fair　play　were　Mr。
McGinnis　on　the　one　hand　and　Brother　Simmons　on　the　other；　broke
down　at　the　second　meeting；　which　ended　in　a　vigorous　personal
encounter　between　these　gentlemen；　without；　however；　serious　injury
to　either。

The　following　day　a　general　strike　was　declared。　　All　work　ceased
in　the　factories　affected　and　building　operations　which　had　begun
in　a　moderate　way　were　arrested。　　Grant　Maitland　was　heartily
disgusted　with　the　course　of　events　and　more　especially　with　the
humiliating　and　disgraceful　manner　in　which　the　negotiations　had
been　conducted。

〃You　were　quite　right；　Jack；〃　he　said　to　his　son　the　morning　after
which　the　strike　had　been　declared。　　〃That　man　McGinnis　is　quite
impossible。〃

〃It　really　made　little　difference；　Dad。　　The　negotiations　were
hopeless　from　the　beginning。　　There　was　no　chance　of　peace。〃

〃Why　not？〃

〃Because　McNish　wants　war。〃　　He　proceeded　to　give　an　account　of　the
evening　spent　at　the　McNish　home。　　〃When　McNish　wants　peace；　we　can
easily　end　the　strike；〃　concluded　Jack。

〃There　is　something　in　what　you　say；　doubtless；〃　replied　his　father；
〃but　meantime　there　is　a　lot　to　be　done。〃

〃What　do　you　mean　exactly；　Father？〃

〃We　have　a　lot　of　stock　made　up　on　hand。　　The　market　is　dead　at
present　prices。　　There　is　no　hope　of　sales。　　The　market　will　fall
lower　still。　　I　propose　that　we　take　our　loss　and　unload　at　the
best　rate　we　can　get。〃

〃That　is　your　job；　Dad。　　I　know　little　about　that；　but　I　believe
you　are　right。　　I　have　been　doing　a　lot　of　reading　in　trade
journals　and　that　sort　of　thing；　and　I　believe　that　a　big　slump　is
surely　coming。　　But　there　is　a　lot　to　do　in　my　department　at　the
Mills；　also。　　I　am　not　satisfied　with　the　inside　arrangement　of　our
planing　mill。　　There　is　a　lot　of　time　wasted　and　there　is　an　almost
complete　lack　of　co…ordination。　　Here　is　a　plan　I　want　to　show　you。
The　idea　is　to　improve　the　routing　of　our　work。〃

Maitland　glanced　at　the　plan　perfunctorily；　more　to　please　his　son
than　anything　else。　　But；　after　a　second　glance；　he　became　deeply
interested　and　began　to　ask　questions。　　After　half　an　hour's　study
he　said：

〃Jack；　this　is　really　a　vast　improvement。　　Strange；　I　never　thought
of　a　great　many　of　these　things。〃

〃I　have　been　reading　up　a　bit；　and　when　I　was　on　my　trip　two　weeks
ago　I　looked　in　upon　two　or　three　of　the　plants　of　our　competitors。
I　believe　this　will　be　more　up…to…date　and　will　save　time　and
labour。〃

〃I　am　sure　it　will；　boy。　　And　we　will　put　this　in　hand　at　once。
But　what　about　men？〃

〃Oh；　we　can　pick　up　labourers；　and　that　is　all　we　want　at　the
present　time。〃

〃All　right；　go　at　it。　　I　will　give　you　a　hand　myself。〃

〃Then　there　is　something　else；　Dad。　　We　ought　to　have　a　good
athletic　field　for　our　men。〃

His　father　gasped　at　him。

〃An　athletic　field　for　those　ungrateful　rascals？〃

〃Father；　they　are　not　rascals；〃　said　his　son。　　〃They　are　just　the
same　to…day　as　they　ever　were。　　A　decent　lot　of　chaps　who　don't
think　the　same　as　we　do　on　a　number　of　points。　　But　they　are　coming
back　again　some　time　and　we　may　as　well　be　ready　for　them。　　Look　at
this。〃

And　before　Grant　Maitland　could　recover　his　speech　he　found　himself
looking　at　a　beautifully…drawn　plan　of　athletic　grounds　set　out
with　walks；　shade　trees　and　shrubbery；　and　with　a　plain　but
commodious　club…house　appearing　in　the　background。

〃And　where　do　you　get　this　land；　and　what　does　it　cost　you？〃

〃The　land；〃　replied　Jack；　〃is　your　land　about　the　old　mill。　　It
will　cost　us　nothing；　I　hope。　　The　old　mill　site　contains　two　and
one…half　acres。　　It　can　be　put　in　shape　with　little　work。　　The　mill
itself　is　an　eyesore；　ought　to　have　been　removed　long　ago。　　Dad；
you　ought　to　have　seen　the　plant　at　Violetta；　that　is　in　Ohio；　you
know。　　It　is　a　joy　to　behold。　　But　never　mind　about　that。　　The
lumber　in　the　old　mill　can　be　used　up　in　the　club…house。　　The
timbers　are　wonderful；　nothing　like　them　to…day　anywhere。　　The
outside　finishing　will　be　done　with　slabs　from　our　own　yard。　　They
will　make　a　very　pretty　job。〃

〃And　where　do　you　get　the　men　for　this　work？〃　inquired　his　father。

〃Why；　our　men。　　It　is　for　themselves　and　they　are　our　men。〃

〃Voluntary　work；　I　suppose？〃　inquired　Maitland。

〃Voluntary　work？〃　said　Jack。　　〃We　couldn't　have　men　work　for　us　for
nothing。〃

〃And　you　mean　to　pay　them　for　the　construction　of　their　own　athletic
grounds　and　club…house？〃

〃But　why　not？〃　inquired　Jack　in　amazement。

His　father　threw　back　his　head　and　began　to　laugh。

〃This　is　really　the　most　extraordinary　thing　I　have　ever　heard　of
in　all　my　life；〃　he　said；　after　he　had　done　with　his　laugh。　　〃Your
men　strike；　you　prepare　for　them　a　beautiful　club…house　and
athletic　grounds　as　a　reward　for　their　loyalty。　　You　pay　them　wages
so　that　they　may　be　able　to　sustain　the　strike　indefinitely。〃
Again　he　threw　back　his　head　and　continued　laughing　as　Jack　had
never　in　his　life　heard　him　laugh。

〃Why　not；　Dad？〃　said　Jack；　gazing　at　his　father　in　half…shamed
perplexity。　　〃The　idea　of　athletic　grounds　and　club…house　is
according　to　the　best　modern　thought。　　These　are　our　own　men。　　You
are　not　like　McGinnis。　　You　are　not　enraged　at　them。　　You　don't
hate　them。　　They　are　going　to　work　for　us　again　in　some　days　or
weeks。　　They　are　idle　and　therefore　available　for　work。　　You　can
get　better　work　from　them　than　from　other　men。　　And　you　wouldn't
take　their　work　from　them　for　nothing。〃

Again　his　father　began　to　laugh。　　〃Your　argument；　Jack；〃　he　said
when　he　was　able　to　control　his　speech；　〃is　absolutely　unanswerable。
There　is　no　answer　possible　on　any　count；　but　did　ever　man　hear
of　such　a　scheme？　　Did　you？〃

〃I　confess　not。　　But；　Dad；　you　are　a　good　sport。　　We　are　out　to　win
this　fight；　but　we　don't　want　to　injure　anybody。　　We　are　going　to
beat　them；　but　we　don't　want　to　abuse　them　unnecessarily。　　Besides；
I　think　it　is　good　business。　　And　then；　you　see；　I　really　like
these　chaps。〃

〃Simmons；　for　instance？〃　said　his　father　with　an　ironical　smile。

〃Well；　Simmons；　just　as　much　as　you　can　like　an　ass。〃

〃And　McNish？〃　inquired　Maitland。

〃McNish；〃　echoed　Jack；　a　cloud　falling　upon　his　face。　　〃I　confess　I
don't　understand　McNish。　　At　least；〃　he　added；　〃I　am　sorry　for
McNish。　　But　what　do　you　say　to　my　scheme；　Dad？〃

〃Well；　boy；〃　said　his　father；　beginning　to　laugh　again；　〃give　me　a
night　to　think　it　over。〃

Then　Jack　departed；　not　quite　sure　of　himself　or　of　the　plan　which
appeared　to　give　his　father　such　intense　amusement。　　〃At　any　rate；〃
he　said　to　himself　as　he　walked　out　of　the　office；　〃if　it　is　a　joke
it　is　a　good　one。　　And　it　has　given　the　governor　a　better　laugh
than　he　has　had　for　five　years。〃

The　Mayor　of　Blackwater　was　peculiarly　sensitive　to　public　opinion
and　acutely　susceptible　of　public　approval。　　In　addition；　he　was
possessed　of　a　somewhat　exalted　idea　of　his　powers　as　the
administrator　in　public　affairs；　and　more　particularly　as　a
mediator　in　times　of　strife。　　He　had　been　singularly　happy　in　his
mediation　between　the　conflicting　elements　in　his　Council；　and　more
than　once　he　had　been　successful　in　the　composing　of　disputes　in
arbitration　cases　submitted　to　his　judgment。　　Moreover；　he　had　an
eye　to　a　second　term　in　the　mayor's　chair；　wh