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〃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； gazing at the Doctor； who；
much embarrassed； could only gaze back in return。
〃Papa； dear；〃 said Adrien； who with Hugh Maynard had joined them at
the gate； 〃you will have to speak to them。〃
〃Speak to them； my dear？ What in the world could I say？ I have
nothing to say to them。〃
〃Oh； but you must； Papa！ Just thank them。〃
〃And tell them you are all for them； Daddy！〃 added Patricia
impulsively。
Then the old Doctor； buttoning his coat tightly about him and
drawing himself erect； said：
〃Rupert； please run your car out to the road。 Thank you。〃
Mounting the car； he stood waiting quietly till the cheering had
died down into silence； his beautiful； noble； saintly face lit with
the faint glow that still came from the western sky but more with
the inner light that shines from a soul filled with high faith in
God and compassion for man。
〃Gentlemen〃 he began。
〃Ladies； too； Papa；〃 said Patricia in a clear undertone。
〃Ah！〃 corrected the Doctor。 〃Ladies and Gentlemen：〃 while a laugh
ran down the line。 〃One generally begins a speech with the words
'I am glad to see you here。' These words I cannot say this
evening。 I regret more deeply than you can understand the occasion
of your being here at all。 And in this regret I know that you all
share。 But I am glad that I can say from my heart that I feel
honoured by and deeply moved by the compliment you have just paid
me through your band。 I could wish； indeed； that I was the 'jolly
good fellow' you have said； but as I look at you I confess I am
anything but 'jolly。' I have been in too many of your homes during
the last three weeks to be jolly。 The simple truth is； I am deeply
saddened and； whatever be the rights or wrongs； and all fair…minded
men will agree that there are rights and wrongs on both sides； my
heart goes out in sympathy to all who are suffering and anxious and
fearful for the future。 I will try to do my best to bring about a
better understanding。〃
〃We know that； sir；〃 shouted a voice。 〃Ye done yer best。〃
〃But so far