ourse is to put the whole thing into
the hands of Harness to settle for us; that's natural, that's what we
should have come to any way.

SCANTLEBURY. [With dignity.] Exactly! [Turning to EDGAR.] And as
to you, young sir, I can't sufficiently express my--my distaste for
the way you've treated the whole matter. You ought to withdraw!
Talking of starvation, talking of cowardice! Considering what our
views are! Except your own is--is one of goodwill--it's most
irregular, it's most improper, and all I can say is it's--it's given
me pain----

[He places his hand over his heart.]

EDGAR. [Stubbornly.] I withdraw nothing.

[He is about to say mote when SCANTLEBURY once more coveys up
his ears. TENCH suddenly makes a demonstration with the
minute-book. A sense of having been engaged in the unusual comes
over all of them, and one by one they resume their seats. EDGAR
alone remains on his feet.]

WILDER. [With an air of trying to wipe something out.] I pay no
attention to what young Mr. Anthony has said. Coroner's jury! The
idea's preposterous. I--I move this amendment to the Chairman's
Motion: That the dispute be placed at once in the hands of Mr. Simon
Harness for settlement, on the lines indicated by him this morning.
Any one second that?

[TENCH writes in his book.]

WANKLIN. I do.

WILDER. Very well, then; I ask the Chairman to put it to the Board.

ANTHONY. [With a great sigh-slowly.] We have been made the subject
of an attack. [Looking round at WILDER and SCANTLEBURY with ironical
contempt.] I take it on my shoulders. I am seventy-six years old. I
have been Chairman of this Company since its inception two-and-thirty
years ago. I have seen it pass through good and evil report. My
connection with it began in the year that this young man was born.

[EDGAR bows his head. ANTHONY, gripping his chair, goes on.]

I have had do to with "men" for fifty years; I've always stood up to
them; I have never been beaten yet. I have fought the men of this
Company four times, and four times I have beaten them. It has been
said that I am not the man I was. [He looks at Wilder.] However
that may be, I am man enough to stand to my guns.

[His voice grows stronger. The double-doors are opened. ENID
slips in, followed by UNDERWOOD, who restrains her.]

The men have been treated justly, they have had fair wages, we have
always been ready to listen to