"

Thereupon McGinnis rose and expressed an earnest desire for a tragic and
unhappy and age-long fate if he would consent to any such proposition.
With terrible swiftness the spirit of the meeting was changed. The
moment of lofty emotion and noble impulse passed. The opportunity for
reason and fair play to determine the issue was lost, and the old evil
spirit of suspicion and hate fell upon the audience like a pall.

At this point McNish, from whose face all anxiety had disappeared, rose
and said:

"For my part, and speaking for the working men of this town, I am ready
to accept the proposal that has been made. We have no fear for the
justice of our demands like some men here present. We know we have the
right on our side and we are willing to accept the judgment of such a
committee as has been proposed." The words were fair enough, but
the tone of sneering contempt was so irritating that immediately the
position assumed by McGinnis received support from his fellow employers
on every hand. Once more uproar ensued. The mayor, in a state of angry
excitement, sought in vain to restore order.

After some minutes of heated altercation with Mr. McGinnis, whom he
threatened with expulsion from the meeting, the mayor finally left
the chair and the meeting broke up in disorder which threatened to
degenerate into a series of personal encounters.

Again McNish took command. Leaping upon a chair, with a loud voice which
caught at once the ears of his following, he announced that a meeting
was to be held immediately in the union rooms, and he added: "When these
men here want us again, they know where to find us." He was answered
with a roar of approval, and with an ugly smile on his face he led his
people in triumph from the hall, leaving behind the mayor, still engaged
in a heated argument with McGinnis and certain employers who sympathised
with the Irishman's opinions. Thus the strike passed into another and
more dangerous phase.

CHAPTER XIV

GATHERING CLOUDS

On the Rectory lawn a hard-fought game had just finished, bringing to
a conclusion a lengthened series of contests which had extended over a
whole week, in which series Patricia, with her devoted cavalier, Victor
Forsythe, had been forced to accept defeat at the hands of her sister
and her partner, Hugh Maynard.

"Partner, you were wonderful in that last set!" said Patricia, as they
moved off together to offer their congratulations to their conquerors.

"