and the
short of it, Mr. Hamilton. No real man would stoop to that sort of work.
It's a woman's trick, that's what it is--and women have no place in
business." Schmidt and McMahon, almost in unison, rumbled assent.

At last, the badgered employer felt himself sure of his ground.

"You're right, Ferguson," he declared, with intense conviction. "Women
have no place in business. You don't need to argue to convince me of
that fact. If you doubt my sentiments in that respect, just ask my
wife--she knows what my ideas on the subject are. But I knew nothing of
all this. Mrs. Hamilton has mixed herself up with this affair entirely
without my knowledge or consent. She has nothing whatever to do with my
business affairs. As for the future, you may rest assured--"

"You may rest assured," Cicily interpolated, "that Mrs. Hamilton will
continue to do precisely as she pleases."

"But, Cicily--" Hamilton would have protested.

"Precisely as she pleases," came the repetition, with an added emphasis,
which, Hamilton knew from experience, it would be useless to combat.

"Faith," exclaimed McMahon, in humorous appreciation of the scene, "the
filly has the bit in her teeth and is running away."

Cicily, however, was not to be diverted from a frank exposition of her
position. Now, she faced the men, and made clear her attitude:

"Let me tell you that Mrs. Hamilton is proud to be merely a member of
the club which you have heard referred to and certainly she is not going
to resign her membership in it. You men have your union. There's no
reason why we women should not have our club as well. You say that I've
been helping them. Very well, what of it? Yes, I have been helping them.
Why shouldn't the women take money from me, I'd like to know. For that
matter, it's nothing like what you men have been doing--taking money
from Carrington and Morton.... And you talk about fighting fair!"

At the final statement made by his wife, Hamilton whirled on the men.

"What's that?" he fairly barked. "Are Morton and Carrington supplying
you fellows with money to prolong the strike?"

"Yes," Cicily replied, as the men maintained a sullen silence. "And
these men of yours have been listening to their lying promises about
starting a new factory, as soon as you are down and out for keeps." She
eyed the men scornfully, as she continued: "Haven't you the sense to see
that it's merely a plan to ruin Mr. Hamilton completely? They want to
kill him off for