, rose on his toes in
high indignation.

"You strike!" he clamored, huffily. "Who has given you that permission
to strike? You are no union. Bah!"

Hamilton shrugged his shoulders, wearily.

"Listen, men," he requested. "I'll put the facts before you plainly, for
I place my whole confidence in your loyalty. You think, perhaps, that
you're being strung in this deal. Well, we'll all be strung, and hung
over the side of the boat, too, unless we work together. You men are
dissatisfied, because, although you are working full time, you are asked
to take a ten per cent. cut. The truth of the matter is that the factory
is not making a cent of profit. I have to make the boxes for sale at a
loss now, on account of the competition of the trust factory, which is
trying to put me out of business. I must work at cost, or even at a
loss, for a time. With the ten per cent. cut, I can keep going. Without
it, I must close down. As soon as this crisis is over, if I win out, the
old wage-scale will be restored. I hope that time will not be long away.
I may venture to tell you something in confidence: I'm planning to take
on some side lines--some things in which I hope to make big money. As
soon as they're started, I'll give you back the present scale."

"Why don't your wife help pay the wages?" Schmidt questioned, shrewdly.
"She has plenty of money for foolishness."

"Faith, and that isn't a bad idea at all, at all, Mr. Hamilton," McMahon
agreed. "It's a better use for her money. Since she's been coming around
to the house these last few weeks, it's cost me a week's pay to get a
hat for my old woman in imitation of hers.... Women have no place in
business, I'm thinking."

Ferguson added his testimony to the like effect:

"That's right," he declared. He looked about for a place in which to
spit by way of emphasis, but, seeing none, forbore. "My girl, Sadie, she
put two dollars in false hair this very week. Your wife is sure making
it mighty hard for us, Mr. Hamilton. How can I buy false hair with a ten
per cent. cut? Durned if I can see!"

Again, Hamilton was afflicted with embarrassment over the infelicitous
results of his wife's benevolent activity, and again he changed the
subject.

"Well, boys," he said frankly, "I've put the matter to you straight. I'm
sorry. But, unless you take the cut, I don't see any future for any of
us.... It's up to you."

"The men decide for themselves," Ferguson replied, glumly. "We only
report ba