Jim. Where's my Jean? She went
into the glass factory--worked twelve hours a day on a job that would
have crippled her for life in another year, and then went away with that
Austrian blower--and when he threw her out, she was ashamed to
write--and for a long time now I've read the city papers of them women
who kill themselves--hoping to find she was dead. And Mugs--you know
what South Harvey's made of him--"

She rose and walked to the window. Standing beside him she cried:

"I tell you, Doc Jim--I hate it." She pointed to the great black mills
and mine shafts and the piles of brick and lumber and sheet iron that
stretched before her for a mile. "I hate it, and I'm going to hit it
once before I die. Don't talk peace to me. I've got a right to hit it
and hit it hard--and if my time ever comes--"

A visitor was shown into the room, and Mrs. Bowman ceased speaking. She
was calm when the Doctor left her and at noon she stood beside the cot,
and saw little Ben smile at her. Then she went away in tears. As she
passed out of the door of the hospital into the street, she met Grant
Adams coming in to inquire about little Ben.

"He knows me now," she said. "I suppose he'll get well--without
legs--and with only one arm--I've seen them on the street selling
pencils--oh, little Ben!" she cried. Then she turned on Grant in anger.
"Grant Adams--go on with your revolution. I'm for it--and the quicker
the better--but don't come around talking peace to me. Us mothers want
to fight."

"Fighting, in the long run, will do no good, Mrs. Bowman," said Grant.
"It will hurt the cause.

"But it will do us good," she answered.

"Force against force and we lose--they have the guns," he persisted.

"Well, I'd rather feed my babies to good merciful guns than to wheels,"
she replied, and then softened as she took his hand.

"I guess I'm mad to-day, Grant. Go on up. Maybe they'll let you look at
him. He smiled at me--just as he did when Doctor Nesbit showed him to me
the day he was born."

She kept back her tears with an effort, and added, "Only the Doc tried
to tell me that babies don't smile. But I know better, Ben smiled--just
like the one to-day."

"Well, Mrs. Bowman," rejoined Grant, "there's one comfort. Dr. Nesbit's
law makes it possible for you to get your damages without going to law
and dividing with some lawyer. However the Doctor and I may differ--we
down here in the mines and mills must thank him for that."

"Oh, Doc Jim's