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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