but because
exaltation had given place to a grim determination better expressed in
silence. There was a momentary pause in the proceedings. Then a girl
stood up in the crowd.

"I want to tell you that that girl is right," she declared fiercely. "My
sister was knocked down by a copper and kicked and broke one of her
ribs. If you're going into this thing you want to go with your eyes
open." As she sat down, another rose, and another and another, until
half a dozen girls had given their experiences, each one of which
brought a gasp of horror to Judith's lips.

"Why, this is dreadful," she cried. "I never dreamed ..."

But Good merely smiled to himself. "They've only told one side of it,"
he said. "There are things--much worse."

Judith shuddered understandingly but said nothing further until they
were in the motor on the way home. "I never heard anything more
terrible," she cried, "or more surprising. If people only _knew_, such
things couldn't take place. Decent people wouldn't countenance such
brutality."

"No," admitted Good, "but decent people don't know anything about it."

"And why don't they?" she demanded. "Why aren't they told? Why aren't
they _forced_ to know about it?"

"Would you suggest a house-to-house canvass?" he asked ironically.

"Don't be silly. Why don't the newspapers take it up?"

"It isn't news to them."

Then the obvious thought struck her. "Why," she laughed, "I almost
forgot. We have a newspaper of our own. Why can't we tell the story
those girls told, in _The Dispatch_?"

"For the same reason that the other papers can't," he said softly.

"And what is that?"

"They don't dare."

"Don't dare? I'm afraid I don't understand."

"Who has the keenest interest in keeping wrist-twisting out of sight?"

"The police?"

"No. Who loses if the girls win? Who suffers if they organise, raise
wages and improve conditions?"

"Their employers, I suppose."

"Just so. And who are their employers?"

"The department stores?"

"Well, then, isn't it perfectly clear? Who are the newspapers' heaviest
advertisers?"

"Oh,--"

"Miss Wynrod," said Good seriously, "to champion the cause of those
girls and to tell the truth about what they are suffering might cost
_The Dispatch_--a great deal of money."

Judith was silent for a moment. "In other words, we are hired by the
department stores to be neutral."

"Precisely," said Good.

"Suppose we snapped our fingers at them?"

"I've already tol