on. "There are half a dozen of your comrades in this camp sick
with diphtheria. I came up here to help. They ought to be isolated to
prevent the spread of the disease, and they ought to be cared for at
once. The foreman proposes to send them out. One went out yesterday. He
died last night. If these men go out to-day some of them will die, and
it will be murder. What do you say? Will you let them go?" A wrathful
murmur ran through the crowd, which was being rapidly increased every
moment by others coming from breakfast.

"Get to your work, you fellows, or get your time!" shouted Craigin,
pouring out oaths. "And you," turning toward Dr. Bailey, "get out of
this camp."

"I am here in consultation with Dr. Haines," replied Dr. Bailey. "He has
asked my advice, and I am giving it."

"Send him out, Haines. And be quick about it!"

By this time the men were fully roused. One of them came forward.

"What do you propose should be done, Doctor?" he inquired.

"Are you going to work, McLean?" shouted Craigin furiously. "If not, go
and get your time."

"We're going to talk this matter over a minute, Mr. Craigin," said
McLean quietly. "It's a serious matter. We are all concerned in it, and
we'll decide in a few minutes what is to be done."

"Every man who is not at work in five minutes will get his time," said
Craigin, and he turned away and passed into the office.

"What do you propose should be done, Doctor?" said McLean, ignoring the
foreman.

"Build a camp where the sick men can be placed by themselves and where
they can be kept from infecting the rest of the camp. Half a day's work
of a dozen men will do it. If we send them out some of them will die.
Besides, it is almost certain that some more of you have already been
infected."

At once eager discussion began. Some, in dread terror of the disease,
were for sending out the sick immediately, but the majority would
not listen to this inhuman proposal. Finally McLean came again to Dr.
Bailey.

"The men want to know if you can guarantee that the disease can be
stamped out here if you have a separate camp for an hospital?"

"We can guarantee nothing," replied Dr. Bailey. "But it is altogether
the safer way to fight the disease. And I am of the opinion that we can
stamp it out." The doctor's air and tone of quiet confidence, far more
than his words, decided the men's action. In a minute more it was agreed
that the sick men should stay and that they would all stand tog