nd you are not
fully satisfied with the reason that was given--hard times. You have
been saying among yourselves that if the president and the treasurer
could go off on a holiday trip to Europe, the situation couldn't be so
very desperate. Isn't that so?"

"That's so; you've hit it in the head first crack out o' the box," was
the swift reply from a score of the men.

"Good; then we'll settle that point before we go any further. I want to
tell you men that the hard times are here, sure enough. We are all
hoping that they won't last very long; but the fact remains that the
wheels have stopped. Let me tell you: I've just come down from the
North, and the streets of the cities up there are full of idle men. All
the way down here I didn't see a single iron-furnace in blast, and those
of you who have been over to South Tredegar know what the conditions are
there. Mr. Farley has gone to Europe because he believes there is
nothing to be done here, and the facts are on his side. For anybody with
money enough to live on, this is a mighty good time to take a vacation."

There was a murmur of protest, voicing itself generally in a denial of
the possibility for men who wrought with their hands and ate in the
sweat of their brows.

"I know that," was Tom's rejoinder. "Some of us can't afford to take a
lay-off; I can't, for one. And that's why we are here this afternoon.
Chiawassee can blow in again and stay in blast if we've all got nerve
enough to hang on. If we start up and go on making pig, it'll be on a
dead market and we'll have to sell it at a loss or stack it in the
yards. We can't do the first, and I needn't tell you that it is going to
take a mighty long purse to do the stacking. It will be all outgo and no
income. If--"

"Spit it out," called Ludlow, from the forefront of the miners'
division. "I reckon we all know what's comin'."

Gordon thrust out his square jaw and gave them the fact bluntly.

"It's a case of half a loaf or no bread. If Chiawassee blows in again,
it will be on borrowed money. If you men will take half-pay in cash and
half in promises, the promised half to be paid when we can sell the
stacked pig, we go on. If not, we don't. Talk it over among yourselves
and let us have your decision."

There was hot caucusing and a fair imitation of pandemonium on the
foundry floor following this bomb-hurling, and Tom sat down on the edge
of the platform to give the men time. Caleb Gordon sat within arm's
reach