men who had brought his speech to
such a sudden termination were his bosom comrades of old times, even
thought they might not be thoroughbred socialists.

"Where the dickens did you two boys come from?" he finally demanded, as
he once more turned toward Ephraim and Barney, grasping their hands.
"Oh, it's good to see you again, fellows!"

"Begorra, to see yez is a soight for sore eyes and to hear yez is music
to deaf ears!" chuckled Barney Mulloy. "You're the same old rabid
champeen av the downtrodden masses. You're still pratin' away about the
coming of the great earthquake."

"That's right, by gum!" grinned Gallup. "But, say, why didn't yeou warn
the people of Frisco before they gut shook up?"

"When I speak of the great coming earthquake," said Carker, "you know
I'm talking figuratively. But you haven't answered my question. Where
did you chaps come from?"

"Right up from old Mexico," replied Ephraim. "We've been down there, me
and Barney, a-helpin' put through the new Central Sonora Railroad. The
old road's finished, and we're takin' a vacation now, with a big bank
account to our credit and plenty of the long green in our pants
pockets."

"Tainted money! tainted money!" exclaimed Greg dramatically. "You've
been laboring for a heartless corporation. These great railroad
companies have made their wealth by robbing the downtrodden masses."

"Ye don't say!" grinned Barney. "The money we have made may be tainted,
but the only taint I've discovered about it is 'tain't enough."

"Oh, you're still frivolous and thoughtless, both of you," asserted
Greg, with a shake of his bushy head. "You can't seem to realize the
fact that in these degenerate days there are no longer opportunities for
men to rise from the lower ranks to positions of competence,
independence, and power. The great corporations and trusts are killing
competition and holding the masses down. A boy born in the lower walks
no longer has a chance to get out of that strata of existence."

"It's rot ye still talk, me fri'nd," declared Barney. "Oi think th'
chances are as good as they iver were, and a lot betther, av anything."

"If yeou're right," put in Ephraim, "'tain't the great corporations and
trusts alone that are to blame. It's the labor organizations that say
every workingman, no matter whether he's capable of great things or is
just an ordinary dub, shall take a sartain scale of wages. That kills
ambition and keeps young fellers of ability and ge