but she wouldn't go
without a yard of ribbon for one if he was dying," said Sadie Peel,
conclusively. "It's awful hard on Ben Simmons, and no mistake."

"What?" said Amos Lee, coming up.

"Oh, what's hard on all of us? What's the use of asking?" said the
girl, with a bitter coquetry. "I shouldn't think any man with
horse-sense would ask what's hard on us when he's seen the ornaments
tacked up all over the shop this morning."

"That's so," said Lee, with a glance over his shoulder. Flynn was at
the other end of the room. Granville Joy, Dixon, and one or two
other men were sauntering up. For a second the little group looked
at one another.

"What are you going to do?" asked Ellen, in a low voice, which had
an intonation that caused the others to start.

"I know what I'll do, if I can get enough to back me," cried Lee, in
a loud voice.

"Hush up!" said Sadie Peel. Then her father came along smiling his
imperturbable smile on his wide face, which had a Slavonic cast,
although he was New England born and bred. He looked from one to the
other without saying a word.

"We're deciding whether to strike or not, father," said Sadie, in a
flippant manner. She raised a hand and adjusted a stray lock of hair
as she spoke, then she straightened her ribbon stock. Her father
said nothing, but his face assumed a stolidity of expression.

"I know what I'll do," proclaimed Amos Lee again.

"Hush up!" cried Sadie Peel again, with a giggle. "Here's Ed Flynn."
And the foreman came sauntering up as the one-o'clock whistle blew,
and the workers sprang to their posts of work.

Chapter XLIX

The snow increased all day. When the six-o'clock whistle blew, and
the workmen streamed out of the factories, it was a wild waste of
winter and storm. The wind had come up, and the light snow arose in
the distance like white dancers of death, spinning furiously over
the level, then settling into long, gravelike ridges. Ellen glanced
into the office as she passed the door, and saw Robert Lloyd talking
busily with Flynn and another foreman by the name of Dennison. As
she passed, Robert turned with a look as if he had been watching for
her, and came forward hastily.

"Miss Brewster!" he called.

Mamie Brady, following close behind, gave Ellen an admonishing
nudge. "Boss wants to see you," she whispered, loudly. Ellen
stopped, and Robert came up.

"Please step in here a moment, Miss Brewster," he said, and colored
a little.

Granvi