Evening star., 1914-11-15


What if they arc?" Simon had said grin1ly. Let
them feel the pinch little, The day has come for the
world when labor demands its more equal share"
Yes, she believed in Simon. At least with sheer
misery pressing close upon her, with the walls of chill
dren in her ears, sharing herself in the actual stress of
the fight how could she fail in sympathy? They
her blood and kind. And the odds cruelty
against them And though she no fool, her heart
had ever been stronger than her brain,
IN her brothers little house half dozen
gathered haggard with famine, grim eyed with rage
long held. They the wives of the strike leaders,
and their babbe of fierce speech seemed to be alb
ruptlv husfed at Anna's entrance 1t though
they had held council, of whose import she must not
hear. But Anna too full of her to heed that
sudden oninous hush.
Il have seen him and spoken with him" she cried.
with whomo" asked Lisbcth her brothers wife.
with Peter Van Ste himself He offered me money
for starving child; but would not take it"
The other women looked at another In the
atmosphere of the little heated with human bodies
there something menacngly vague and terrible.
What else did he say, the devil?" Lisbeth asked.
He asked me to write to him, if needed aid, Anna
said "He-I almost believe that he wished to be kind.
Lisbeth- checked the savage growl that She
had the natural ability that lifts woman to
leadership above the common herd. Tall and well
built her face would still have been handsome but for
the hollows dug by slow starvation. She spoke now
with cunning half veiled in her bright, black eyes.
$50, it is WE'LL perhaps. We were speaking of him
but now We wish to have speech with him, women.
Perhaps we may persuade him to reason. You shall
write to him, Anna and ask him to come to you here.
"'ro come here?@ Anna said doubtfully
-"Yes, he. will come. He fears nothing, the devil!
Besides, since he has spoken with you Anna, think
that he will trust YOU"
He has no fear, think" Anna said But you-
what will:you do?
lust for a moment Lisbeth dropped her eyes. When
she lifted them their savagery under leash. "We
shall speak, to him. Ssern-law. We shall try to per-
st1ade him to agree to mems terms.
at is not-a trap" Anna asked.
Lisbeth laughed shrilly. "Why should it be trap,
Gir? If he will but listen, all may be we'll And you
--vou will have saved us all.
Anna stood for minute without speech Her eyes
went round the circle of lowering faces. In that mo-
ment she-she knew that than speech with the
trvant was intended by these And the thought
that she to be used decoy was hateful to all
that was noble in her nature. But-but-did this man
spare others? And yet-and yet s-.
At the right moment Lisbeth spoke "The children
are hungry They should be remembered" she said
quietly
Anna threw out her hands. "Yes, the children. the
little children Oh will do it! Give paper. When
shall | ask him to Gomez?
Tomorrow evening at this hour, Llsbeth answered.
Anna bent her head to her task. Her hands were
shaking And Lisbcth, turning from her looked round
at the other women and in her eyes gloating, ri
umphant hate That glare answered with its like.
In that hour they human tigers, those women,
maddcncd by sufferngs, who crouched in the dim wl-
light of that with cleaning eyes
Anna raised her head The letter addressed and
sealed. Lisbeth took it.
81 will post it," she said.
So it was done. And no time was left for doubt 0
hesitation Anna went gropingly to her small, bare
bedroom, and threw herself upon the bed and cried
very bitterly 1t had no bearing the of course,
but she remembering how Peter had wept after
his betrayal.
She did not sleep that night. Through the long hours