Evening star., 1915-02-07


Riggs, whose hand also the public pulse ar
ranged the appointment for eight O'Clock at Royces
home.
DROAIPTLY at the hour Benton appeared and was
ushered into the mill owner S handsome library.
moment later his host entered. There tired lines
under his eyes, and his air of pompousness had disap
peared. His greeting sullenly defiant
Il seeing you merely upon the advice of Mr..
Riggs. Personally can object for this meeting
g A feeling akin to pity smote the younger as he
seated himself in the leather chair to which his host
YEARLY motioned
"Mr. Royce he said, and his tones were low and
even, unless you yield to tonight, shall be
compelled to make sacrifice of you just you have
been compelled sacrifice the little children in your
mills. Both you and they victims of circumstance
but you better position than those little ones
because is your power free the and incidentally
to free yourself You take your choice,-gve them
back their freedom or be deprived of your own'
Without waiting to what effect this utimatum
had upon Royce, he drew packet of legal papers from
his coat pocket and thrust them into the mill owners
hands. . -
"There is the evidence that leads CELL he said
: quietly: ."Sit down and look it over
A dazed expression crept over Royces face. He
stared perpleXedly, first at the papers and then
Benton.
Look it over the latter repeated.
For an instant Royce hesitated. Then he sat down
and began to examine the papers. As he through
them dull red spot appeared in each cheek Suddenly
he raised pair of angry eyes to Benton.
Wv here did you get this rot?'
From the Kerns Detective Agency the reply.
"So=oo.' sneered Royce. @You had detectives in
my mills, eh?',
"Yes in your mills and outside of them Unfortu-
natey those working the outside could substant-
all the crcumstantial evidence supplied by those
the nsdethe birth registration laws in this State
enforced about adequately the factory laws
but they did dig up the birth records of of
the hundred little ones that Won are working
illegally. And you be prosecuted for each of
those cases.
THE dull red spots in Royce's cheeks deepened into
purple blotches and his lips narrowed into hard
gray line a can be prosecuted, II" he said. @Sup
pose this stuff to bts?" He held the packet of
birth records grpped if to destroy it.
The younger smiled. an that should take
the originals of those records and use them against you
3Originas! All right-use them them The mill
owners voice rose to an angry pitch. Have me
rested-and see what happens!'
Benton stared him with irritating calmness what
will happen?" he demanded
An ugly light shone in Royce's eyes. Nothing
much," he answered, nothing except that I'll shut
down my mills and let the people starve-that's al!'
Benton smiled at him pityingly. "Do you really be-
Ieve that the people of Greenfield would stand for
that?' he inquired.
"Stand for it," repeated Royce. They'd have to
stand for it,"
The younger stood up and faced the mill owner
"Mr. Royce he said, a know the power of public
opinion better than you do Let set you right. If
you to do what you have in mind the whole town
would turn against you. You'd be driven away
Royce laughed Short unpleasant laugh. @No,
shouldn't be driven away-Td go away of my
cord, and I'd stay away until this fuss that you've
stirred up here blows over" He stared the adver-
tisng with arrogant confidence.
Benton shook his head. "You couldn't get far enough
away, Mr.. Royce. I'd see to that"
The mill owner looked at him curiously II sup