of them
have barely that. A cut in wages will be something awful in its effects.
Why, Charles, some of the families have six or seven children."

"I know," the harassed employer acknowledged, with a sigh that was
almost a groan. "But, Cicily, my dear, unless there is a cut, I shall be
ruined. That is the long and the short of the matter. Unless I make the
men suffer a little now, the factory must be closed down; all Dad's work
must go for nothing. It's either I or them. If they don't take the cut
for the time being, they'll soon be without any wages at all. Now, if
you really want to help me, in a way to count, just do all you possibly
can to prevent a strike. Then, you'll be helping me, and, too, you'll be
helping them as well. Of course, you understand that I shall put back
the wages as soon as ever I can."

"Good!" the wife cried, happily. "I'll help." Despite her distress over
the situation as it affected both the workmen and her husband, she was
elated by the fact that, at last, she was wholly within her husband's
confidence; that, at last, she was actually to cooeperate with him in
his business concerns: a practical, no longer merely a theoretical,
partner! Hamilton himself gave the cap to the climax of her delight.

"Now," he said, with a tender smile, "you're positively in business,
according to your heart's desire. You're on the inside, all ready to
fight the what-do-you-call-it."

But a new thought had changed the mood of the impulsive bride. Of a
sudden, she sobered, and her eyes widened in fear.

"Yes," she said slowly, tremulously; "I'll help you, Charles, in any way
that I can, for a strike would be too terrible. It would come between
you and me."

Small wonder that, Hamilton was astounded by this declaration on the
part of his wife. His usually firm jaw relaxed, dropped; he sat staring
at the fair woman opposite him with unrestrained amazement.

"How under heaven could a strike at the factory come between you and
me?" he queried, at last.

The answer was slow in coming; but it came, none the less--came firmly,
unhesitatingly, unequivocally.

"If there were to be a strike, I could not let those women and those
children suffer without doing something to help them."

At this candid statement as to what her course would be, the husband
stiffened in his chair. His expression grew severe, minatory.

"What?" he ejaculated, harshly. "You'd use your money to help them? My
wife use her money to fight