s the factory whistle
died away, Walter grabbed the microphone. "You want the code word to
start the machines again? I'll give it to you before I sit down!"

The men stared at him, shuffling, a murmur rising. Torkleson burst to
his feet. "It's a trick!" he howled. "Wait 'til you hear their price."

"We have no price, and no demands," said Walter Towne. "We will _give_
you the code word, and we ask nothing in return but that you listen for
sixty seconds." He glanced back at Torkleson, and then out to the crowd.
"You men here are an electing body--right? You own this great plant and
company, top to bottom--right? _You should all be rich_, because Robling
could make you rich. But not one of you out there is rich. Only the fat
ones on this stage are. But I'll tell you how _you_ can be rich."

They listened. Not a peep came from the huge hall. Suddenly, Walter
Towne was talking their language.

"You think that since you own the company, times have changed. Well,
have they? Are you any better off than you were? Of course not. Because
you haven't learned yet that oppression by either side leads to misery
for both. You haven't learned moderation. And you never will, until you
throw out the ones who have fought moderation right down to the last
ditch. You know whom I mean. You know who's grown richer and richer
since the switchover. Throw him out, and you too can be rich." He paused
for a deep breath. "You want the code word to unlock the machines? All
right, I'll give it to you."

He swung around to point a long finger at the fat man sitting there.
"The code word is TORKLESON!"

* * * * *

Much later, Walter Towne and Jeff Bates pried the trophies off the wall
of the big office. The lawyer shook his head sadly. "Pity about Dan
Torkleson. Gruesome affair."

Walter nodded as he struggled down with a moose head. "Yes, a pity, but
you know the boys when they get upset."

"I suppose so." The lawyer stopped to rest, panting. "Anyway, with the
newly elected board of directors, things will be different for
everybody. You took a long gamble."

"Not so long. Not when you knew what they wanted to hear. It just took a
little timing."

"Still, I didn't think they'd elect you secretary of the union. It just
doesn't figure."

Walter Towne chuckled. "Doesn't it? I don't know. Everything's been a
little screwy since the switchover. And in a screwy world like this--"
He shrugged, and tossed down the