lips.

Mr. Todd turned slowly and surveyed her.

"I don't," he said, simply, and, being by this time near the door, faded
gently from the room.

"Order!" cried Mrs. Gorman, thumping the arm of her chair with a large,
hard-working fist. "Take your seats, ladies."

A strange thrill passed through the bodies of her companions and
communicated itself to the men in the chairs. There was a moment's tense
pause, and then the end man, muttering something about "going to see what
had happened to poor old Ben Todd," rose slowly and went out. His
companions, with heads erect and a look of cold disdain upon their faces,
followed him.

It was Mr. Porter's last meeting, but his wife had several more. They
lasted, in fact, until the day, a fortnight later, when he came in with
flushed face and sparkling eyes to announce that the strike was over and
the men victorious.

"Six bob a week more!" he said, with enthusiasm. "You see, I was right
to strike, after all."

Mrs. Porter eyed him. "I am out for four bob a week more," she said,
calmly.

Her husband swallowed. "You--you don't understand 'ow these things are
done," he said, at last. "It takes time. We ought to ne--negotiate."

"All right," said Mrs. Porter, readily. "Seven shillings a week, then."

"Let's say four and have done with it," exclaimed the other, hastily.

And Mrs. Porter said it.

End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Striking Hard, by W.W. Jacobs

*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK STRIKING HARD ***

***** This file should be named 11480.txt or 11480.zip *****
This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:
http://www.gutenberg.net/1/1/4/8/11480/

Produced by David Widger

Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions
will be renamed.

Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no
one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation
(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without
permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules,
set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to
copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to
protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project
Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you
charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you
do not charge anything for copies of this eBook