part lacking imagination, and whose older and
more prosaic outlook could not understand the younger man, whose zeal
they regarded with impatience.

But Smillie soon recognized Robert's talent and his worth, and gave him
more scope than he otherwise might have done.

Robert's admiration for his chief was unbounded, though it did not keep
him from differing from Smillie at times on matters of detail. On
principles they were generally at one with each other and while it was
rarely that they differed, the occasions upon which they did so were
remembered by all who heard. Smillie soon realized that there was an
unshakable will behind the young man, and watched him under every
difficult occasion with a certain amount of pride, as he grew in
individuality and resource. Robert was not a frequent speaker, but was
always listened to with respect when he did speak.

An industrial crisis was upon the country and everyone was expectant,
and wondering how it would all end. Keir Hardie's preaching of the
working class gospel was a big factor in Robert's development and the
latter was soon in demand for platform lectures, stirring up the workers
and pleading with them to organize, and teaching them economics through
historical allusion and industrial evolution until he soon became
recognized as one of the coming forces in the working-class movement. He
was as yet very impulsive, and while such a trait had generally a
powerful appeal on the average audience of the working class type, it
often put him into somewhat compromising situations, when dealing with
the more sober and serious work of the organization. Still he was
showing up well, and only time and experience were needed to cure his
defects. So the year ended, and the cloud grew more and more
threatening.

January brought the crisis to a head, and the Government, recognizing
that nothing could avert a strike and as the foreign situation was
passing through a critical period, requested that a conference should be
called in London, and invited the miners and the mine-owners to come
together so that the Prime Minister and other statesmen could be present
to try and adjust the grievance. It was a historic gathering and one
that marked an epoch in the history of the industrial movement.

Delegates were present from almost every Miners' Lodge in Great Britain,
while the owners were also fully represented.

The Prime Minister acted as chairman of the gathering and he was
support