The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-06-16
s'cscsc.o.4a.cs.Es.<aac.<asc.o.S
By George Randolph Chester
o.o.t>.S.c.t,.Se.cs.c>.t,.<o.t,.Cs.c

machine that will take the rough bars of ! steel for these parts and turn them out in gangs ready for assemblage, without one single handling except the first feed 1 ing, which can be done by a boy. One
 mechanic can run each machine" | Fremont drowned internationally, but l gave the drawings slow careful study. 1 With growing interest he asked few direct questions which Powell his palms l moist and his heart pounding up in his
 throat, answered briefly, and he went over and over the different sheets. The
 drawings were somewhat crude, but the l ideas were there, clear and simple. ] T believe you've got it,, he at last | admiringly announced Do you mind
 leaving these plans with me over night? ?n | Powell hesitated only for moment. | Longer, if you like" he offered.
 Tonight will do," replied the other, but
 the moment Powell had gone out he sent out for his head draughtsman.
 l Take these drawings and put your en- 1 tire force upon them" he directed T
 want accurate traeings of eevry one of 1 them before you go home tonight. Don't | soil them, and don't leave marks of any
 sort that will show that they have been | copied"
 Vowel for the first time in two years
 was able that night to bring a gleam of 1 hope to the eyes of his wife. He had | no work to do, and they went for a car | ride to the park and heard some good
 music. The woman built new air castles.
 and was in gay spirits when they came | home.
 Its like oul times," she said. "Tll take the balance of this week to | think the matter over," Fremont an-
 nounced when Powell got his drawings | the next morning. "I believe you have
 something worth while, and l think
 shall put you to work on an experimental machine Come in on Monday" I The week was a slow one 10 Powell, but 1t was not to Fremont, for a crisis had
 come about in the affairs of the company 1 Competition had been suicidal, and the ! promoters of the consolidation were using
 pressure upon Fremont, Wells &s Ire mont Young Fremont weighed their pro- posals with angry disfavor, and classed the promoters mere commercial high waymen. He had his fathers good fight ing blood, and 1t caused him to spend 1 every night that week and all day Sun 1 day over Powells drawings. Within half an hour afte rhis talk with Powell on Monday morning he had deiantly declined
 the trust proposition. and laughed at the
 threat of the promoters to buy the plant for scrap iron within two years | Powell went home intoxicated with his
 prospect of success.
 I've signed contract with Fremont | for the exclusive use of my patents, Bess," he exulted Tomorrow l am to start building one of my machines. My pay goes right on. I am to be partitioned
 off fro mthe rest of the shop, and no one is to know what l am doing. As soon as my invention works right I am to have a thousand dollars cash bonus for each one that they build, and a royalty on all the work they turn out. We'll be rich at last, girli'
 May 1 have new dress now?" she asked wistfully.
 q guess you, maya cheap one" he laughlngly answered But let's be careful not to get in debt. We want our money clear when we get it."
 The weeks slipped rapidly away. The consolidation was completed without the Fremont, Wells & Fremont plant and al- ready the hand of the giant was in evil dence Prices were cut to the desperation point, but there was always surprise in store for the combine. Whenever com petitive bids were opened the concern that had defied the trust was found to have submitted a proposal with prices a shade lower than those offered by the | trust Contract after contract for spring delivery rolled in, and Fremont smlingly
 filed them away, at the same time order ing enormous supplies of material. lot of new men were taken on to han dle the heavy contracts. This was the one hole in Tremonts armor, and the trust found 1t. They slipped few picked agitators of their own among the new workmen and confidently awaited develop ments, The men had been dissatisfied be- fore, and under skilled handling they soon became inpatient The stockade was al- ways there to remind them of their thrall- dom, and the paid agitators were at
 work in fruitful soil.
 Powell repeated his fears at home, to- gether with the news that his machine was almost ready for a test
 The strike doesn't need to worry us now" she said as she cheerfully helped him to get ready for the regular meeting of his union. You are through with all that"
 "I don't know" he gloomily answered. 1 eff. the strike comes on before I finish my machine I'll have to walk out with the rest of them. I don't see that I'll be any better off in that case, and it's only a matter of days now. Wages are not keeping up with the cost of living. 1'he trusts are making it too hard work to buy actual bread and butter. The strike is bound to come, and 1t is not far off" The agitation was beginning to have It's effect even on him.
 She recoiled as if he had struck her, but he was in so much of a hurry that he did not notice. He was block away from home when he found that he had forgotten his receipt book, and he came back to get 1t. His wife was in the front room when he stepped noiselessly into the kitchen, and he tipped to the door with the intention of playfully surprising her. They had grown much younger of late What he saw made his pause, breathless and astounded.s She was just removing the wrapper from a small bottle, and as the paper fiuttered to the floor he say that the phial bore an ominous red label Even from that distance he could tell that 1t was poison she held and his first im- pulse was to rush in and take 1t away from her. second thought showed him the folly of that course. From her ac- tions he knew that she had no present in- tention in connection with it, for after musing over 1t for a moment she wake slowly over to the closet, where she placed 1t in a small box on the shelf Closing the closet door, she leaned suddenly upon her ar magainst.t the wall and broke into a paroxysm of weeping Even then he re- strained himself from walking in upon her. In an agony sf perplexity he stole quietly outdoors, where he could think the matter over by himself and resolve upon the best course to pursue.
 Little by little there came back to him the memory of significant remarks and actions to which he had attached but lit- tie weight, beginning with certain hys- terical threats after the death of the aby Gradually he comprehended what her hor- TOT of that time had been-what her dread of another strike and its miseries had done in her days of lonely, morbid brood ing. If he could only beat the strike, He must.
 He came tramping noisily back into the kitchen, and she soon joined him with such cheerfulness as she could muster though she was pale and tremulous. He