d Mr. Hamilton won't be too nice to
them."

McMahon, too, would have made some comment; but Hamilton, who now
perceived his blunder, which might have a disastrous effect on the
attitude of these men toward him, hastened to make a diversion on his
own account.

"Now, men," he said, as affably as he could contrive, "I've made you
acquainted with the difficulties and the necessities of the situation.
As I said before, I depend on your loyalty.... Will you let me hear from
you later in the afternoon to-day?"

"You'll hear from us, all right," the Yankee assured his employer, with
significant emphasis, before Schmidt had a chance to speak; and McMahon
nodded agreement.

Once again, Cicily strove to lighten the mood of the men.

"If you're going away to think something over, be sure you come back in
time to take your wives home, after they've joined the club. It's the
Civitas Society, you know, for the up-lift of women."

No sooner were the members of the committee out of the room than Cicily
turned anxiously to her husband.

"Oh, Charles," she exclaimed, "tell me! It's not true, is it, that
there's to be a cut in wages at the factory?"

Hamilton turned away impatiently from the appealing face.

"Cicily," he said shortly, "Uncle Jim and I are very busy. We have
business of the highest importance to discuss."

Delancy, who from long experience knew much concerning his niece's
wilfulness, now read aright the resolute expression on her face. He
tugged nervously at his tufts of whisker, and spoke in a tone of
resignation:

"Oh, tell her, Charles, and have done with it.... Or, listen, Cicily.
It's this way: These men are getting more money than they ought to get.
Charles can't make a penny profit, running his business this way. That's
all there is to it--he's got to cut them ten per cent. I've advised it,
myself."

Cicily's charming nose was now distinctly tip-tilted, whatever might be
its normal line.

"Yes, I'd expect you to advise it, Uncle Jim," she remarked, dryly. She
turned to her husband, accusingly. "But, Charles, there is no reason why
you should follow his advice. Why didn't you ask me? I'm your partner. I
don't think you have treated me fairly in this."

Hamilton, overwrought and exasperated by the multiplication of his
worries, began a sharp answer; but it was interrupted by the
decisiveness with which his wife went on speaking:

"Charles, you have treated me like a child, like a fool.... And you s