he hours of work, and the average cost of
living, with the articles in most general use. The mill-men had their
flour and coal cheaper, and altogether their winter was proved as
satisfactory. This was pasted up in the hall.

The matter was discussed through the town, of course. Some people saw in
it a speedy dissolution of the plan,--a plan that never had worked, and
never would. Others did not see that this method of getting back part of
the men's wages was any better than any other swindling scheme. They
never had any faith in Bob Winston,--Darcy might be honest, but he
wasn't very bright,--and in five years Winston would own every thing
there was in the mill!

Winston laughed over the gossip. Jack could not take it so
light-heartedly. He was an earnest, honest reformer, and hated to have
things go awry. Winston, not believing there was very much capacity for
reform in human nature, did not distress himself.

Ben Hay, and a dozen or so others, did their best with the new cloth,
and succeeded in producing a really creditable article. The heads
discussed the feasibility of having an auction-sale to clear out some of
the piles of goods; then concluded that it might be misconstrued at this
present juncture. They could hold on until fall.

But the delightful _esprit du corps_ had vanished. The men did not seem
to work with a will. There were moody faces and discourteous greetings,
half-insolent nods, and more than one wrangle at the workmen's meeting.
Hurd felt anxious and discouraged. Yardley took a low fever, not severe
enough to confine him to the house, but it made him irritable, and every
sneer or innuendo cut him to the quick. Cameron was a great comfort to
Jack, with his queer, wrinkled, grizzled face, and an expression that
always puzzled you as to whether nature meant him to laugh or cry.

"I am not surprised," said he, one day, in the office. "I knew we would
have to come to just this time. A wife shares your joys and sorrows,
gen'ally speaking; but you see there it's a force put, she can't well
get away. Other partners like your joys, but they make a wry face over
the sorrows, and like to squirm out of them if they can. But it is the
only way to train men to the real responsibilities of business. Now, I'm
sorry enough to lose, but it stands to reason that times will come
better. We're getting through the panic; but after the battle there's
some dead to bury, and some wounded to care for, and you see that's