The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1913-05-02
CHAPTER XXI.
The Means-and the End.

They did not again embrace, but stood
silent. almost apathetic now. Passion
was far away from them, indeed had
never fully seized them. The despair
in human love was theirs; and love
is half despair. She might have been
some beautiful statue in white marble,
so cold was she; and as for the man
who faced her, his anger gone, he him
self might navs been the image Of
hopelessness. Central figures Of an ir-
reparable ruin, and seeing no avenue
to happiness. for the time neither had
word for the oHner.
At last Halsey raised hts head, as
some sound caught hts ear. What's
that?' he said
'I heard II, Z" said she. = thtak ne
some one coming up the walk"
"Yes," he answered Listen! Why,
1t sounds Hike crowd. what can that
mean, 1oY3 Wait?" ~ r~D
He left her and hastened out to the
front door. He stood there. out1ined
fully by the hall lights behind him.
Those who approached recognized him.
He was greeted by a derisive shout,
half-maudlin, scarce human IN its
quality. The solitary servant rushed
up, excited. What is it, Mr.. Hslsey?'
he Quavered. els there going to be
any trouble? Oh, I ought to have
gone away with the others!"
"Get out Of the way" replied Hal
sey calmly. "Get back behind the
door. I'll go out and meet them"
Here, you men!" he called out in
sudden anger to the visitors. What
do you mean, coming here this way?"
He was advancing toward them now,
down the steps, into the curving walk,
almost to the rim Of the circle Of light
cast by the house lights.
Don't you know any better than to
come here at this time, you people?
There's trouble in this house There's
death in here. Go on away, at once!"
The leader of the scattered group
of addressed men stepped forward
mo, we'll not go away at once. We
know who you are, all right, Mr.. Hal
sey. Trouble! We're in trouble, tool
We're lookin' for some more trouble,
now"
well, I'm not to blame for that
What do you mean? Who are you,
anyway"
"You ought to know US! We've done
up some Of your damned sneaks. You
cut your workmen down to the last
copper in wages, and you didn't pay
them that. Then when the pinch
came, you shut the doors and skunk
of, like the coward you was! Then
they came over to US, at last! Your
scabs is in the unions now"
II haven't done anything Of the
kind!" retorted Halsey hotly. 81
haven't been to the factory for days.
When 1 left there, every cent was paid
up. That wasn't any Of my business
anyhow was not cashier, but fac
tory superintendent"
TITS lie, you know it's lie! We've
come to show you up. We've come to
take old man Rawn and you out Of this
place. We ought to ride him on a
rail, and you with him! That's what
we ought to do! We want that
money" The leader advanced toward
him menacingly.
"Why, men, I have not got your
money" expostulated Halsey. "If I
had, this isn't the way to get It from
me! I've always used you fellows
square! You've got to act that way
with me. I'm in trouble now, tell
you. MY wife's dead, and my baby
to-day--in here. You are accusing the
best friend you have got! Where's
Jim Sullivan? Where's Tim Carney?
Where's any Of you men that used to
work with me there in the factory?
Any one of you ought to know better"
"They amt here; but don't talk that
to US! We know what you was doing
with them machines. We know what
you was up to. You wanted to take
thesbread ontaof our mouths! We seen
it all in the papers, the whole thing,
plain enough. No wonder you kept 1t
all blind as you could-you wanted to
put us off the earth
Its lle!" cried Halsey sternly.
"I broke them up. ]. threw up my
job. 1 quit because I didn't want to
see the bread taken out of your
mouths. l stood between the COM
pany and just what you say. I
wouldn't allow them to make it harder
for you than it was. never lost you
cent Of wages-I stood for you all
the time, I'm with you now. Why,
men, I've been at your meetings, I'm
one of you! Don't you know? Don't
you remember? You've never asked a
thing of me I haven't tried to do, that
was in reason. You know me! What
difference about the union if Pm your
sort?"
eyes, We do know you!" broke in a
squat and pallid Jew, forcing himself
! through the thick to the front, and