The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-02-07
THE MUTABLE MANY
ROBERT BARR.
,~oryriohi. issG. by Robert Barr.
CHAPTER XXI.

.,, he men. He saw that the game
-,nd all he wanted was time In which
" -, n retreat. posing. IL possible. as the
= ,bo had brought about a settlement. AS
~, az Gibbons learned that the two nominal
.,.,.rs had coae, he tried 20 open commune
elton, with ]sartweli. anG sent n private letter
% him. saying tdat, taking into considera-
zion the priyatious Of the men and the large
-. ,o.s On The firm, he was willing to sink
Al, per.on.l feelings ard waive the proviso
$1,000 If sisted upon regarding u meeting
,.,us,n the manager and himself Gibbons
,rrs..ed his 81 Hin mess to withdraw from the
eoae,ct. and have a committee OF the men ap-
so,,,.d 10 wait upon Sartwell to arrange for the
,o,nIpstion Of the strike. but asked that his
later be regarded rs confidential.
s.,tW.l. with perhaps unnecessary contempt,
,.,n,ned the letter to Gibbons. saving CURLY
IN Oh. bearer that there was no answer.
n I. usually unwise 10 humiliatc unduly a
n,tsn adversary: but Sartwell was not vcrsed
IN the finer arts OF courtesy. and wien he
hated a man he hated him. caring little for any
reprl al his enemy might attempt.
Gibbons had ground h. teeth in helpless
rage when his letter was returned TO him He
Jaw that no concession he could make would
plara,s s~artwe'l: SC. a. the strike was doomed.
he resolved to make the best OF the inevitable
r,tres,. The committee agreed that IL was
M longer possible to hold out. although they
Rad refused Marsten's request that q meeting
he called and a vote taken. II was resolved
that taev convene u meeting nj once. not wait
ing for-nlshtfall hoping IN this way to deprive
Marsten OF any credi: that might'accrae from
the surrender AID mar'h the men in A body
nom the hall t. the works, where the COM
mi,tee, with the execution OF Gibbons, would
precede them. 10 induce the manager to open
the gates. Gibbons would then be able to say
that he, not Marsten. had ended the strike.
and he might even enact the role NJ a benefac-
tor. who had sacrificed his own ceilings In
the interests OF the men.
But luck was against Gibbons that day.
When he reached the works he found Marsten
there hararGuins his fellow workmen. i'm
plorine them 10 give in before Il was too late.
assuring them the two buildings would be full
OF workers on Monday. and tsen all efforts TO
enter would be f~ruitless. II was very appar-
ent that the young man vas already angered
AZ the slight effect his appeal was making on
the seeming indifference ~ the men. and. II
Gibbons had been les angry from the rebuff
he bad received from the manager. he might
have taken advantage OF the POSITION and
scored. Al II was. he mad little time for plan.
ming any new line OF procedure. The moment
b disappeared. Marsten demanded that a meet.
ing'should be instantly called and = vote taken.
Gibbons asked him to mind his own business.
saylng he had an appointment with the owners
OF the works. and there would be = meeting 10
consider their reply. Then Gibbons learned
that his falsehood was useless. and that Mars
ten knew the owners had fed.
Al this point the unexpected advent OF
Braunt, and the results that followed. tumhled
all schemes TO the ground like a house Of cards.
Braunt. II he had thought about the matter
(which he had not. was rsvenged at the end
Of the strike for his ignominious election from
the nall At the beginning.
Gibbons retired with the committee tn con-
suit over .he new situation. II was a gloomy
consultation. As the men came out OF chs
small gate one by one. each with a half weeks
wages In his pocket and a packet OF tobacco In
his hand, Scimmins and another member OF the
committee stood outside. proclaiming that a
meeting was called FOR that night. TO discuss
the events Of rte day In q friendly manner.
No man answered: cash hurriel away to ge,
something 10 eat or drink: nor did any appear
that nlght.at Salvation Hall. Next morninl
scimmins and ht, fellow committeemen AZ
rlied TO Sartwell for reinstatement, aud were
put in their old places Gibbons resigned the
secreAryship OF the union, and his resignation
was ~kce"3ted. somewhat to his surprise, rs he,
knowing the men had been practically unani.
nous IN bringing on the strike. expected TO b,
asked TO keep the oftce. with perhaps a vote oil
'ormAl thanks. However. al! blame for the fail,
ure was promptly placed on his shoul.ers. and
be found himself suddenly called upon % seol
another situation. HIS bitterness against Sart
well deepened into virulent hatred. and h,
heape1 maledictions upon the heads OF the mer
whom 80 short a time ago he had swayed thi,
way and that whenever he addressed them.
The morning after the surrender the cate
stood iavttingly open. and black smoke pouret
rom the tall chimneys. The women anG girls
who worked OF the upper ioors. were the fir.
70 come. and their pale faces turned In a lool
OF mute thankiGlness toward the banner o
smoke flying above them ike a signal OF re.
cue Ihey had Lad no voice in brInging.on tn,
strike and no soice In It's cessation. NJ on,
ear'hg is Continuance had been anxious Il
Know whether they lived or. died when str!k,
pay ceased.
Before the day was done work was going OF
Is smoothly a. II nothing had haupened. TIL,
men were at first afraid that Sartwe,l NIGH
PICK and choose among them. and that som,
OF them might be marked because OF what har
been tOna M 49, 40. - IL II. -. " t