utterly
broke down, while the tears ran down his rugged fighting face. "I am
done with fighting," he cried. "They have named Captain Maitland. We
know him for a straight man and a white man. Let me talk with Captain
Jack Maitland, and let us get together with the Padre there," pointing
to the Reverend Murdo Matheson, "and in an hour we will settle this
matter."

In a tumult of approval the suggestion was accepted. It was considered
a perfectly fitting thing, though afterwards men spoke of it with
something of wonder, that the Mayor should have called upon the Reverend
Doctor to close the meeting with prayer, and that he should do so
without making a speech.

That same afternoon the three men met to consider the matter submitted
to them. Captain Jack Maitland laid before the committee his figures and
his charts setting forth the facts in regard to the cost of living and
the wage scale during the past five years. In less than an hour they
had agreed upon a settlement. There was to be an increase of wages in
keeping with the rise of the cost of living, with the pledge that the
wage scale should follow the curb of the cost of living should any
change occur within the year. The hours of labour were shortened from
ten to nine for a day's work, with the pledge that they should be
governed by the effect of the change upon production and general
conditions. And further, that a Committee of Reference should be
appointed for each shop and craft, to which all differences should be
submitted. To this committee also were referred the other demands by the
Allied Unions.

It was a simple solution of the difficulty and upon its submission to
the public meeting called for its consideration, it was felt that the
comment of the irrepressible Victor Forsythe was not entirely unfitting:

"Of course!" said Victor, cheerfully. "It is the only thing. Why didn't
the Johnnies think of it before, or why didn't they ask me?"

The committee, however, did more than settle the dispute immediately
before them. They laid before the public meeting and obtained its
approval for the creation of a General Board of Industry, under whose
guidance the whole question of the industrial life of the community
should be submitted to intelligent study and control.

CHAPTER XVII

SHALL BE GIVEN

For one long week of seven long days and seven long nights Annette
fought out her gallant fight for life, fought and won. Throughout the
week at her side Adr