The weekly examiner., 1901-06-15

and loving cannot exist between you and me simply because of the accident l of birth or the circumstance of wealth or difference in surroundings? Have I we not already proved that it can ex- ist?'
 "Yes,'' replied Eric slowly. "It can exist, but it is in one sense an unnatu- ral existence. You represent capital; I 1 represent labor. Take the present sit uation of the strike. I believe as much | as I believe anything that it is right and even religious that we do as we do. 1 Deep in your heart you condemn us for l the movement. If you were in your fa- ther's place, you would feel exactly as he does about it. How, then, can we expect the old relation between us to l be continued?'
 l Stuart sat silent, looking out over the | beautiful valley. The town looked very | pretty in it's setting of hills and pines | His fathers house was the most con- ! spicuous residence to be seen. From where the two men sat 1t looked pala- 1 tial. Down at the other end of the town among the miners houses Stuart could distinguish Eric's home, little
 
 | hundred others. He did 8 good deal of hard thinking in a few minutes; then he said:
 'Eric, you began the talk about the l difference between us. Do you want to break off anything? Is that your in- tention?'
 Eric for the first time grew flushed beneath his dark bronzed face. ''No," he said. 'I simply wished to state the 1 conditions under which we now live There is no change in my feelings to- ward you and cannot be-"
 Neither is there in mine toward you, Eric. Why do you place the responsf- bility so wholly on me, as if would be the one to change or. as if it rested with me to say that our friendship was pos sible or notw
 Because it does rest with you. Are you not representative of riches, pow CT, intelligence, all the great machinery which sets things in motion, society, that world by itself, leisure, culture, advantages? And is it not for you as representative of all these things to bear the responsibility which must al- ways rest on the strong and the educat- ed and the wealthy" Eric paused on the crest of a wave of speech that seemed about to break over all his self control.
 Stuart after awhile said doggedly: "It comes back to the question, Is our friendship to continue on the old ba- sis? I can be no other than I am. If have been born to wealth and leisure and education and society and travel and all that, I am powerless to change it. And you are what you are because you have been born into it and choose to continue there, though you know, Erie, you. could rise out of it if you only would :...
 ''It is useless to discuss that point" repied Eric quietly. '.But tell me, Stu art, in answer to the main question, do you believe in this strike ?''
 No; can't say do, said Stuart, with his usual frankness.
 ''There! You see where the difficulty lies," replied Eric sadly. ''The very nature of the situation compels breach in our old relations with each other. Of course believe in the strike or I wouldn't be the leader of it."
 "It seems like bad way to get at what you want" saids Stuart.
 Have you studied into the details of the situation? Do you know all the facts which have led up to this move ment?"
 '~I know what my father has told me. He says the men did not consult with the companies and went out without warning or notice of any kind"
 Eric rose to his feet. 'It's lie!' he exclaimed, with a sudden passion that no one would suspect existed. It was like an explosisn that transformed the man into another being.
 Stuart also rose Do you mean to say that my father lied to me about the factSW
 'I dov' retorted Erie. ''He lied, and he knows he lied!'
 Stuart took one step toward Eric, and the two young men confronted each other. Suddenly Eric turned on his heel and without a word walked down the hill. For a moment Stuart seemed on the point of going after him or call ing out for him to stop, but the next moment he stepped back to the stone and sat down. When Erie had disap- peared behind a clump of trees, Stuart rose and went toward home by another path.
 When he reached the house, Louise met him and told him his father want ed to see him at once. He went in and stood by the bed, his whole being stir red by the interview with Eric It. was the first real passion to speak of that had reused his self controlled na- ture. His father spoke with the blunt ness that always marked his speech.
 Stuart, I want you to go to Cleve- land for the company. This strike has caused complications with our local agents. There is important business that I ought to see to in person. Gan you go at once? The eastern express is due at o'clock"
 'I am at your service, father" re-