the bench, where he muttered like a dying volcano. Angry
growls shot up here and there, snappish, menacing, and bestial.

"It is quite true," said the leader soothingly, "that our comrades at
Trenton have collected forty pounds for us. But forty pounds would
scarcely pay for a loaf of bread for one man in every ten on strike."

There was more interruption. The dangerous growls continued in running
explosions along the benches. The leader, ignoring them, turned to
consult with his neighbour, and then faced his audience and called out
more loudly--

"The business of the meeting is at an end."

The entire multitude jumped up, and there was stretching of arms and
stamping of feet. The men nearest to the door now perceived Edwin and
Hilda, who moved backwards as before a flood. Edwin seized Hilda's arm
to hasten her.

"Lads," bawled an old man's voice from near the stage, "Let's sing `Rock
of Ages.'"

A frowning and hirsute fellow near the door, with the veins prominent on
his red forehead, shouted hoarsely, "`Rock of Ages' be buggered!" and
shifting his hands into his pockets he plunged for the street, head
foremost and chin sticking out murderously. Edwin and Hilda escaped at
speed and recrossed the road. The crowd came surging out of the narrow
neck of the building and spread over the pavements like a sinister
liquid. But from within the building came the lusty song of "Rock of
Ages."

"It's terrible!" Hilda murmured, after a silence. "Just to see them is
enough. I shall never forget what you said."

"What was that?" he inquired. He knew what it was, but he wished to
prolong the taste of her appreciation.

"That you've only got to see the poor things to know they're in the
right! Oh! I've lost my handkerchief, unless I've left it in your
shop. It must have dropped out of my muff."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

FOUR.

The shop was closed. As with his latchkey he opened the private door
and then stood on one side for her to precede him into the corridor that
led to the back of the shop, he watched the stream of operatives
scattering across Duck Bank and descending towards the Square. It was
as if he and Hilda, being pursued, were escaping. And as Hilda,
stopping an instant on the step, saw what he saw, her face took a
troubled expression. They both went in and he shut the door.

"Turn to the left," he said, wondering whether the big Columbia ma