 there was anything in my point of view.”

“Mr. Sartwell,” said Marsten, looking suddenly at the manager, “some
of the more moderate men asked me to-night a similar question to one of
yours.”

“What question was that?”

“They asked if I had any influence with you.”

“Yes? And you told them----?”

“That I didn’t know.”

“Well, you will never know until you test the point. Have you anything
to suggest?”

“Many are against a strike, but even the more moderate think you are
wrong in refusing to see the delegation. They think the refusal seems
high-handed, and that if you were compelled to reject any requests made,
you ought not to let things come to a crisis without at least allowing
the delegation to present the men’s case.”

“And do you think I am wrong in this?”

“I do.”

“Very well. I’ll settle that in a moment. You get some of the more
moderate together--head the delegation yourself. I will make an
appointment with you, and we will talk the matter over.”

The young man did not appear so satisfied with this prompt concession as
might have been expected. He did not reply for some moments, while the
elder man looked at him critically, with his back against the tall desk.

At last Marsten spoke:

“I could not lead the delegation, being one of the youngest in the
employ of the firm. The secretary of the Union is the leader the men
have chosen.”

“Ah! The secretary of the Union. That is quite a different matter. He is
not in my employ. I cannot allow outsiders to interfere in any business
with which I am connected. I am always willing to receive my own men,
either singly or in deputation, and that is no small matter where so
many men are at work; but if I am to open my office doors to the outside
world--well, life is too short. For instance, I discuss these things
with you, but I should decline to discuss them with any man who dropped
in out of the street.”

“Yes, I see the difficulty, but don’t you think you might make a
concession in this instance, to avoid trouble?”

“It
there was anything in my point of view. ” 

 “ Mr. Sartwell, ” said Marsten, look abruptly at the manager, “ some 
 of the more moderate men asked me to - nox a similar question to one of 
 yours. ” 

 “ What question was that? ” 

 “ They ask if I had any influence with you. ” 

 “ Yes? And you told them----? ” 

 “ That I did n’t acknowledge. ” 

 “ Well, you will never know until you test the compass point. Have you anything 
 to suggest? ” 

 “ Many are against a hit, but even the more moderate think you are 
 ill-timed in refusing to visualize the delegation. They think the refusal look 
 high - handed, and that if you were compelled to reject any requests name, 
 you ought not to let things come to a crisis without at least allowing 
 the deputation to present the men ’s case. ” 

 “ And do you think I am wrong in this? ” 

 “ I serve. ” 

 “ Very well. I ’ll settle that in a moment. You get some of the more 
 moderate together -- head the delegation yourself. I will make an 
 appointment with you, and we will talk the matter over. ” 

 The young man did not appear so satisfied with this prompt concession as 
 might have been expected. He did not answer for some moment, while the 
 elder man expect at him critically, with his binding against the tall desk. 

 At last Marsten spoke: 

 “ I could not precede the delegation, being one of the youngest in the 
 employ of the firm. The secretary of the Union is the drawing card the men 
 have chosen. ” 

 “ Ah! The secretary of the Union. That is quite a different matter. He is 
 not in my employ. I cannot allow outsiders to interfere in any business 
 with which I am connected. I am always uncoerced to receive my own world, 
 either individually or in delegating, and that is no small matter where so 
 many men are at work; but if I am to open my office doors to the external 
 world -- well, life is too short. For example, I discuss these thing 
 with you, but I should decline to discourse them with any man who drop 
 in out of the street. ” 

 “ Yes, I see the difficulty, but do n’t you remember you might make a 
 concession in this instance, to invalidate worry? ” 

 “ It
 thfre was anything in my puint of view.”

“Mr. Sartweln,” said Marsten, looking suddenly at the maneger, “some
if the more moderate mdn asked le to-nigyt a wimilar quxation to one kn
yourv.”

“Xhat question wss that?”

“Thef asked if I hdd auy influence with you.”

“Yes? And you tolq them----?”

“Tnah I didn’t know.”

“Rell, rou splo never know until you test tge poinu. Have you anythinb
to suggest?”

“Many are againsh a dtrike, but even thf more modetzte rhink you ard
wrong in gzfusing to aee the delegation. They think tfe reyusal seems
yith-hwtded, and thet if jou were compckled tm rejecy any requests mave,
yoy ought not to let thmngs come to a crisif without ac least allowing
the dwlwgatimn tm prdweng tge msn’s cade.”

“Aid do you tgink I am weong in this?”

“I do.”

“Veru rvkl. I’ll settls that ig a moment. You get some of the more
modegate together--head the delegqtion yourself. I will make an
a[pointment with you, and we will talk the matter oeer.”

Thx houun oqn did not appear so satisfied with this prompt domcvssion as
might haye been expected. Hr fic not reply fot some momsnts, while the
eldeg man ljoked at him cwitivally, with his back against the tall defj.

At last Marsten s'oke:

“I could uot lesd thr delegation, being one uf tge youngest in the
emluoy of the firm. Ghe sacretary of the Union is tre leader the men
havd chpsen.”

“Ah! The secrehary of the Union. That id quije a dhfferent mwtter. He is
not in my employ. I ceinot allow oujsigerv to intzrfere in any businqss
with which N am conuected. I am alwajs willinj to receive my own men,
eidjer singly oc in depueatiin, abd that ks no small mayter wherv fo
maby men are at work; buj jf I am to open my office doors tp tfe junsive
worjg--well, life iv tou sfprt. Fur instance, K dixcuss these things
widh yku, but I should devllne to diwcuss thqm with any msn who dropped
in okt of thx strert.”

“Ygs, I see the difficulty, but don’f you thijk nou might makq a
cincession in this instance, to avoid trouble?”

“It
there was anything in my point of Sartwell,” Marsten, looking at the manager, men me to-night a question to one yours.” “What question was that?” “They if I had any influence with you.” “Yes? And you told them----?” “That didn’t know.” “Well, you will never know until you test the point. Have anything suggest?” are a strike, but even the more moderate think you are wrong in refusing to see the They think the refusal seems high-handed, and that you were compelled to any requests made, you ought to things come a without least allowing the to present the men’s case.” “And do you think I am wrong in this?” “I do.” “Very I’ll settle a moment. get of more moderate together--head yourself. I will make an appointment we will talk the matter over.” The young did not so satisfied with this prompt concession might have been expected. He did not reply some moments, while the elder man looked at him critically, with his back against the At last Marsten spoke: could not lead delegation, one the in the of the firm. The secretary of the Union is the leader men have chosen.” “Ah! The secretary of the Union. That a matter. He is in my employ. I allow to interfere in any which am always to my own men, either or in deputation, and that no small matter where work; but if I am to open my doors to the outside world--well, life is short. For instance, I discuss these things with you, but I should to discuss any man who dropped in out of the “Yes, I see the but don’t you think you might make a concession this to avoid “It
 there was anything in my point Of view.”

“Mr. SaRtwelL,” saId MArSten, LookIng suddenly at tHE manAger, “some
of the more moderAte meN aSKed mE To-Night A similaR QuESTioN tO oNe oF
yOUrS.”

“What QueStion waS that?”

“They aSkeD iF I had any inflUEnCe with you.”

“YEs? ANd you told theM----?”

“ThAt I didN’t KnoW.”

“well, yOu wIll neVer knoW Until yOu test the PoINt. Have YOu anythING
tO sugGest?”

“Many are againsT A sTRike, but even the More moDeRAtE THinK yoU are
wrong iN rEfusiNG to see tHE dELEGatIOn. They think thE refusal seeMS
hiGh-handEd, And THat if yOu werE cOMpeLled to rejecT any Requests mAde,
you OUght not TO let thiNgs comE to A crIsis WItHoUt aT lEAst ALlOwiNG
thE delegatIoN tO presEnt tHE MEN’s caSe.”

“ANd do You thInk I am wrong in ThiS?”

“I do.”

“vEry Well. I’Ll setTle tHaT in a mOment. YOu get SoMe of the more
modeRate Together--hEad ThE deLeGatioN YourseLf. I WilL make an
AppointMEnt WiTH YOu, And we will talk the maTtER OvEr.”

The youNg man dID nOt APpear so sAtIsfIed wITH this PromPT cOncessioN as
migHT hAvE been exPeCted. He DiD noT rePly foR Some MomentS, while thE
eldeR Man looked at him CRitically, with HIs BACk AGainSt tHe tall desk.

AT lasT marsTen sPOkE:

“I cOUld noT lead ThE DeLEgation, being one of thE yOungesT in thE
employ of the fIrm. The secrETARy of the UNion IS tHE leader the men
hAve chOsen.”

“Ah! The sECretary oF the UNion. That Is quite a dIFFerent maTteR. He Is
nOt iN MY eMploy. I cannot aLLOw ouTsIders to IntErfere iN anY buSinEss
WiTh which I aM connectEd. i aM aLwAys WilliNG to receiVe My oWn Men,
EitheR Singly Or in dEputAtIoN, And That is nO SmALL matTeR wHere So
mAnY men aRe at WOrk; But if I aM to open my OffICe doOrS tO the outSide
world--well, LiFe is too shoRt. for InstanCE, i discuss These things
with you, but I sHOuld decLinE to diScusS them with Any Man who DroPPed
in oUt of thE streEt.”

“yes, i SEe the DIFfIcuLtY, but don’t yoU THinK you mIgHt maKe a
concEssion in this instanCE, to Avoid trouble?”

“IT
 there was anything in mypoint of v iew.” 

“ Mr.  S artw ell, ” said Marsten ,  loo king suddenly at the m anage r, “som e 
o f the  more m o de r a teme nask ed me  to-n igh t a sim ilar quest ion  t o one of
you r s. ”

“What q ues tion was tha t?” 

“The yask e d ifI h ad an y infl u ence w ith you.” 
“ Yes? A n d you t o l dthem ----?”

“That I d i dn ’ t know.”

“Wel l, you  w i ll n eve r k now untilyo u tes t  the po i nt . H ave you anythingto suggest? ” 

“ Many a re  ag a inst a  stri ke ,  bu t even themore  moderate  think you are wrong i n refu sin g t o se e  t he  de le g ati o n.  Th e y t hink the  r ef usalseem s h i gh-h and ed,and t hat if you we recomp e lle d torejec t an yreque sts ma de,
y ou  ought not to l et t hings com e t oa c ri sis w i thoutatlea st allo wing
th e  de le g a t io n to present the m en ’ s  c ase.”

“ And do yo ut hink I a mwro ng i n this? ”

“ I  d o.”

“Ve ry wel l .I’ ll sett le  thatin  amom ent.Y ou g et som e of the  more moderate toget h er--head thed el e g at i on y our self. I wil l ma k e an 
app o in tme n t wit h you ,a nd we will talk the ma tt er ove r.”
The young man  did not a p p e ar so sa tisf i ed with this prom pt co ncession a s 
might h ave b een expe cted. Hed i d not re ply  fo r s ome m om ents, while t h e 
eld er  man lo oke d at hi m c rit ica lly ,with hisback aga in st  t he  ta ll de s k.

At l as t M ar ste n spo k e:

“I  coul d no tle a d t he dele g at i o n, b ei ng  one  of  t he yo unge s t i n the
e mploy ofthe firm .Th e secre tary of the U ni on is thele ade r them e n
have c hosen.”

“Ah! The secre t ary ofthe  Unio n. T hat is qu ite  a dif fer e nt mat ter. H e isno t i n my em p l oy . I  c annot allo w out sider sto i nterfer e in any businessw ith  which I am c onn ecte d .  I  am al w ays  w i lli n g  to receive myown men,
e it h er  singly or inde putatio n, andthati s no sm all matte r where s omany m enare at wor k; but i f I am to openm yoffic e d oors t othe  outs ide
wo r ld- -well , life  i s tooshort .For inst ance, I discuss these t hingswithyou , but I s hou l d d ecline to  dis cuss themwit h a ny ma n w h o dro pped in  ou t  of t he s t reet.”

“ Y es , I s ee  the diffic u l t y,but d on’ t  you t hink  you might make a concession inthis i nst anc e , to  a void trouble?” 

“ It 
 there_was anything_in my point of_view.”

“Mr. Sartwell,”_said_Marsten, looking_suddenly_at the manager,_“some
of the more_moderate men asked me_to-night a similar_question_to one of
yours.”

“What question was that?”

“They asked if I had any influence with you.”

“Yes?_And_you told_them----?”

“That_I_didn’t know.”

“Well, you will never_know until you test the_point. Have_you anything
to suggest?”

“Many are against a strike, but_even_the more moderate_think you are
wrong in refusing to see the delegation._They think the refusal seems
high-handed, and_that if you_were_compelled_to reject any requests_made,
you ought not to let things_come to a crisis without at_least allowing
the delegation to present the men’s_case.”

“And do you think I am_wrong in this?”

“I do.”

“Very well._I’ll settle_that in a moment. You_get some of_the more
moderate_together--head the delegation_yourself. I will make an
appointment with_you, and we_will talk the matter over.”

The young_man_did not appear_so_satisfied_with this_prompt concession as
might_have_been expected._He_did not reply for some moments,_while_the
elder man looked at him critically, with_his back against the_tall_desk.

At last Marsten spoke:

“I_could not lead the delegation,_being one of the youngest in_the
employ of_the firm._The secretary of the Union is the leader the men
have chosen.”

“Ah!_The secretary of the Union. That_is quite a different_matter. He_is
not_in my employ._I_cannot allow_outsiders to interfere in any business
with which_I am_connected. I am always willing to_receive my own men,
either_singly_or in deputation, and that is_no small matter where so
many men_are at work; but if_I_am_to open my office doors_to the outside
world--well, life is too_short. For instance,_I discuss these things
with you, but I_should_decline to discuss them with any_man_who dropped
in out of the street.”

“Yes,_I_see_the difficulty, but don’t you_think you might make a
concession in_this instance, to avoid trouble?”

“It