Rocky Ford enterprise., 1915-09-10
CHAPTER XIII.
Philanthropy.

Philanthropy.
The Quinby strike is now history.
1t is. however, no part of recorded his
tory that during the anxious months
preceding one man was toiling, plan
ming, spending himself to avert the
tragic outcome he foresaw. 1t was
ceeded 1t would have been no more
widely heralded than In failure.
He did foresee the outcome as tragic.
but not because a philanthropist's rep
utation hung in the balance.
There was one man who saw and
understood his efforts. He was Hen
ley.
They were together one day, Mark
arguing earnestly for a compromise.
Henley listened, not because he was
impressed by the arguments. but be-
cause he was studying the pleader.
Are you for u.s." he interrupted a
long period to demand sharply. "or
for the men? -a
I'm for both"
"You can't be for both. Are you"
Henley jeered. "still trying to play the
man Of peace?"
mo. I'm trying to obtain a little
Justice and to save the Quinby COM
pany from idle mills"
They won't be idle long. And we
can AFFORD idleness better than the
men can"
They're growing bitter. There will
be violence"
Then let there be violence. I'll
know how to meet it" Henley's jaws
set. "Thererl be no compromise. Let
US fight 1t out now. while we're ready
and the men aren't. The harder the
fight the better I'm satisfied. because
the longer it'll take the union to re-
cover"
You're hopeless" Mark eyed him
significantly. Il see Ill have to ap-
peal to Caesar"
Meaning Quinby7 Caesars ghost
must feel fiattered!"
He has an interest in the premises.
I should think 1t would be to your In
terest-"
els that kind OF = threat?" Henley
inquired harshly. I'm not afraid Of
Quinby just now. Sooner or later
expect to be kicked out Of this com.
pany. But he can't kick me out OF
steel. And l don't propose to see the
industry run to suit the whims OF
tough walking delegates and grating
labor bosses You seem to be in Quin-
by's confidence. I'm free to say don't
like 1t. II looks to me as though you're
hedging, so you won't have to 60 out
with me-"
What do you expect?"
II made you. I've given you all you
have. I expect you to stand by me-"
"You demand more than you give
others. The men give you all they
have and you refuse"
THE men work for their living, as
men must. Most of them get good
living. When they're worth 1t they get
more. You got more. II they don't
like our terms let them hnd better
Caesar, don't count too much on him.
There are bigger interests than his
vanity at stake just now, and you'll
find when 1t comes to a point they'll
hold. Quinby's a blatherskite. but
I've never said he's fool"
Mark said nothing. Henley's words
but echoed his own fears. Henley re
garded him frowningly.
What" he demanded abruptly, has
got into you the last year? Before
that could always count on you. Now
Il don't understand you"
"Wher 1t comes to that" Mark
laughed shortly. Il don't understand
myself"
Mark had been partly right when
| he attributed the mood of their return
to reaction. A lighter mood followed
Kazia's work allowed them to meet
but seldom and then often for only
hurried visits; the eagerness bred by
separation drove such problems as
| Quinby and the meaning of their rela
ton into the background. But the
shadow never quite lifted. As winter
wore on Kazia began to perceive grow
| ing up in Marks heart new inter
est, so strong that sometimes II in
truded even into the brief hours that
should have been given wholly to love
There was an evening when he came
to her apartment. tired and discour'
aged, but with an air that sent her
memory back to a slender youth going
doggedly forth each day to labor mean,
| for stronger men. She, too, was tired
from long exacting case whose close
allowed them this leisurely meeting
the first in weeks.
This week." she told him after he
had been there little while, 81 was
offered the superintendency of nurses
at the Todd hospital"
That's fine! I'm glad. When dc
you begin ?"