minister looked at his wife. She was wet-faced and a-tremble, and
had her hands over her eyes. Amos Adams's old, frank face was troubled.
The son turned upon him and cried:

"Father--you're right when you say character makes happiness. But what
do you call it--surroundings--where you live and how you live and what
you do for a living--environment! That's it, that's the
word--environment has lots and lots to do with character. Let the
company reduce its dividends by giving the men a chance at decent living
conditions, in decent houses and decent streets, and you'll have another
sort of attitude toward the company. Quit cheating them at the store,
and you'll have more honesty in the mines; quit sprinkling sour beer and
whiskey on the sawdust in front of the saloons to coax men in who have
an appetite, and you'll have less drinking--but, of course, Sands will
have less rents. Let the company obey the law--the company run by men
who are pointed out as examples, and there'll be less lawlessness among
the men when trouble comes. Why, Mr. Dexter, do you know as we sat down
there in the dark, we counted up five laws which the company broke, any
one of which would have prevented the fire, and would have saved ninety
lives. Trash in the passage leading to the main shaft delayed notifying
the men five minutes--that's against the law. Torches leaking in the
passageway where there should have been electric lights--that's against
the law. Boys--little ten-year-olds working down there--cheap, cheap!"
he cried, "and dumping that pine lumber under a dripping torch--that's
against the law. Having no fire drill, and rusty water plugs and hose
that doesn't reach--that's against the law. A pine partition in an
air-chute using it as a shaft--that's against the law. Yet when trouble
comes and these men burn and kill and plunder--we'll put the miners in
jail, and maybe hang them, for doing as they are taught a thousand times
a week by the company--risking life for their own gain!"

Grant Adams rose. He ran his great, strong, copper-freckled hands
through his fiery hair and stood with face transfigured, as the face of
one staring at some phantasm. "Oh, those men--they risked their
lives--Chopini and Casper Herdicker gave their lives for me. Father," he
cried, "I am bought with a price. These men risked all and gave all for
me. I am theirs. I have no other right to live except as I serve them."
He drew a deep breath; set his jaw and spoke with a