Arizona republican., 1911-08-26

The evening meal was c<ten in
 grim kind of silence.
 The father had absent-minded ca
 resses for the baby and Tommy, but nc
 words. and they both eyed the big mar
 wonderingly.
 It's a wonder that boy wouldn't
 come home" declared John, staring
 hard at the empty chair which had re
 mained tenantless to the close of the
 meal
 "Oh, I've been so worried abou.
 him" said Jennie with pent-up feeling | he came home at noon over the back
 fence. and went out that way again.
 lie never said word about trouble,
 though"
 And did you tell him anyth.ng?"
 NO, somehow. 1t seemed so humili-
 attng."
 The back steps creaked softly just
 then. and the kitchen door opened and
 closed with a Quietness unlike Jack.
 put the tattered figure that backed up
 against the stove and stood blinking
 one eye solemnly was at least recog. | nizable. He was hatless. The unblink. | ing optic was closed and blackened.
 Ills face was scratched and cut. His | lip was swollen and a tiny trickling
 stream of carmine oozed down from | one nostril and was occasionally swept
 away by the tenderly caressing lick of
 his tongue. His shirt was torn open
 at the collar. His coat and pants were | mud-soaked, while a vision of drawers
 yawned through a gaping hole in one ! stocking. He clung resolutely to his Took strap, and the books themselves. with damned and twisted corners. gave | evidence of having teen used as a ! weapon Of defense. For a moment the lad endured the questioning gaze of his father
 "A b-boy said you was a scab." he remarked in what be tried hard 10 make a tone of unconcern. and I Elicked him for it." and then added. doubtfully, hesitatingly, "but-but- are you?"
 John started almost fiercely as he heard again the knife-like stab of that hated word But little Jack, with his damaged face. a wounded and uncom- plaininS soldier in the war, looked up so seriously and so loyally that his heart was softened instantly.
 Are you. Dad?" he asked again. more seriously, and less confidently.
 "Eal your dinner, boy" said the father. and we'll talk about il after wards"
 With tender sOiicitude he heaped the boys plate, and watched the disappear ance with the greatest satisfaction. taking pride in the thought that there would be food upon his table next week also. the best food a tourney man holders wages could buy. When The meal was finished, there was a suspicious brightness in John Martins eyes as he took his son upon his knee he son who had earned the right 10 lis fathers confidence by shedding the irst blood in behalf of the principle 'or which he was contending. And when the father had done. having made the sacred and inalienable right D work stand out more clearly in his hind than ever before, the boy dis concerted him with a question:
 "Bdt why don't you stand by your ;ang?' he asked. "Hully chee."
 In the silence that followed the boy Hid down from his knee and stood ooking al him Gisapprovingly. Why. 'ay," he continued, not saucily but stoutly. If I couldn't make a living | 'or the family without takin' sides | against my own crowd. I'd throw 'em n the river like a sack of pups"
 Then he turned disdainfully and | marched of to the sink, where he pro- ! ceeded with sundry grunts to remove | the scars Of battle from his face.
 "I'll bet I lick that Flannigan kid again tomorrow" he muttered vic. l iously, between splashes
 As for John Martin, he sat, gazing i at the floor, one hand upon his knee, the other toying absently with his pipe. For the first time a really seri- ous doubt had entered his mind. Was I It possible that the instinct of this | innocent child was more sure than all II his finely reasoned conclusions? Was II 1t true that he had no right to go Il against his class? The sickening fear Il that 1t might be, and that he who had Il deemed himself a martyr for liberty Il was only a miserable traitor crept Il Into his heart. For an hour he sat bowed in forbidding silence. to be reused at last by bang at the door
 It was group of the men, come as -Acy uou SOHlO SO Illdug l4ueb DeIOTe. II 10 argue and to bully. John welcomed hem gloomily.
 The first to enter was Stockdale, a Englishman, who lad been there before. Behind him walked the Scotchman. McKichnie, aller. with clear blue eyes. red cheeks md canry face, with a queer light ,n It. Next came two big. angular ncn with great hands that reached al most to their knees. and ponderous eet that they planted with clumsy 'tolidity. These men had lumpy. lrshed faces, and flaxen hair was matted low on their foreheads. The ast was German-looking person with . face the color of beeswax. He wore nick glasses over eyes that had a 'reat deal of white fin them His reast was like a pouter pigeons and e looked very bright and very merci- sss. The giant Swedes sat on the lounge tockdale and McKichnie took chairs, ut the German remained bolt upright D the center Of the room, looking at ohn, who, having discharged the tenn orary duties of a host in offering hairs for the comfort of his visitors, tood waiting their pleasure, leaning asily against the wall, with his huge rms foiaad