to have the Lloyd sleigh pass her; it had to
turn after reaching the end of the street. Ellen caught up with
Granville Joy. Robert, glancing over the waving fringe of fur tails,
saw disappearing in the pale gleam of the electric-light the two dim
figures veiled by the drifting snow. He thought to himself, with a
sharp pain, that perhaps, after all, Granville Joy was the reason
for her rebuff. It never occurred to him that his action in cutting
the wages could have anything to do with it.

Ellen went along with Granville, who was anxious to offer her his
arm, but did not quite dare. He kept thrusting out an elbow in her
direction, and an inarticulate invitation died in his throat.
Finally, when they reached an unusually high drift of snow, he
plucked up sufficient courage.

"Take my arm, won't you?" he said, with a pitiful attempt at ease,
then stared as if he had been shot, at Ellen's reply.

"No, thank you," she said. "I think it is easier to walk alone in
snow like this."

"Maybe it is," assented Granville, dejectedly. He walked on,
scuffling as hard as he could to make a path for Ellen with the
patient faithfulness of a dog.

"What are you going to do about the cut in wages?" Ellen asked,
presently.

Granville started. The sudden transition from personalities to
generalities confused him.

"What?" he said.

Ellen repeated her question.

"I don't know," said Granville. "I don't think the boys have made up
their minds. I don't know what they will do. They have been weeding
out union men. I suppose the union would have something to say about
it otherwise. I don't know what we will do."

"I shouldn't think there would be very much doubt as to what to do,"
said Ellen.

Granville stared at her over his shoulder in a perplexed, admiring
fashion. "You mean--?" he asked.

"I shouldn't think there would be any doubt."

"Well, I don't know. It is a pretty serious thing to get out of work
in midwinter for a good many of us, and as long as the union isn't
in control, other men can come in. I don't know."

"I know," said Ellen.

"You mean--?"

"I mean that I do not think it right, that it is unjust, and I
believe in resisting injustice."

"Men have resisted injustice ever since the Creation," said
Granville, in a bitter voice.

"Well, resistance can continue as long as life lasts," returned
Ellen. Just then came a fiercer blast than ever, laden with a
stinging volley of snow, and seemed to sweep the wor