morning, his statement of Rathbawne's
position, his passage at arms with McGrath, finally, the Governor's
announcement that the strike was to be supervised by his lieutenant in
his stead.

"I had almost lost hope," he concluded. "I thought my opportunity would
never come, and here it is, after all--the chance to act! And, somehow,
I feel that it is only the beginning--that, as he gets to understand me
better"--

Rathbawne suddenly left his daughter's side, and in three steps was
directly before the Lieutenant-Governor. As he interrupted him, his
fingers closed upon the lapels of the other's coat, and he punctuated
his words with little tugs at these, his knuckles coming together with
tiny muffled thuds. He spoke with a gravity that was vibrant with
suppressed anger and slow with sincere regret.

"My boy," he said, "it's not a gracious thing to do to spoil an
enthusiasm like yours, but don't deceive yourself. Elijah Abbott as a
trickster is alone in his class. You were never more powerless to act
for the right than you are at this moment."

"But I have his assurance"--

"Oh, _his_ assurance! It isn't worth the ash off your cigar. What, give
you a chance to interfere with the will of the Union which made him, and
owns him, body and soul? Never in God's world! Listen to me. I spent an
hour in his office this very afternoon, discussing the strike--_and he
never so much as mentioned your name_!"

The Lieutenant-Governor winced as if the words had been the touch of a
lancet. Then he closed his eyes.

"And I was in the next room," he said, almost as if to
himself,--"planning--my--control--of the situation! Good God!"

"I went directly to him," continued Rathbawne, "because I knew that it
would be purely and simply a waste of time to parley with the lesser
officials who are either helpless or frankly his tools. I knew, too,
that no satisfactory result would come of appealing to him, but I wanted
to give him the chance. All I asked of him was an assurance that the
mills would have proper police protection, and that, if necessary, the
militia would be called out in support of order. The outcome was exactly
what I expected. Governor Abbott rubbed his hands, and smiled, and said:
'All in good time, Mr. Rathbawne, all in good time. When the conditions
seem to warrant it, we can discuss these measures.' That means that they
are free to blow the mills to kingdom come, before a finger will be
raised by the authorities to pre