nds than the stuff my competitors buy, I'll
hold my job. If not, I'll lose it. I am certainly working for my
job.'

"Of course the town doesn't believe for a moment what Perry
says. The town is divided. Part of the town thinks that Perry is
an Adams convert and a fool, the other half of the town believes
that the move is part of a conspiracy of certain eastern
financial interests to get control of the Wahoo Valley
properties by spreading dissension. Feeling is bitter and Adams
and Perry are coming in for considerable abuse. D. Sands, the
local industrial entrepreneur, has raised the black flag on his
son-in-law, and an interesting time looms ahead."

But often at night in Perry's home in South Harvey, where Morty Sands
and Grant Adams loved to congregate, there were hot discussions on the
labor question. For Nathan Perry was no convert of Grant Adams.

As the men wrangled, many an hour sat Anne Perry singing the nest song
as she made little things for the lower bureau drawer. Sometimes in the
evening, Morty would sit by the kitchen stove, sadly torn in heart,
between the two debaters, seeing the justice of Grant's side as an
ethical question, but admiring the businesslike way in which Nathan
waved aside ethical considerations, damned Grant for a crazy man, and
proclaimed the gospel of efficiency.

Often Grant walked home from these discussions with his heart hot and
rebellious. He saw life only in its spiritual aspect and the logic of
Nathan Perry angered him with its conclusiveness.

Often as he walked Kenyon was upon his heart and he wondered if Margaret
missed the boy; or if the small fame that the boy was making with his
music had touched her vanity with a sense of loss. He wondered if she
ever wished to help the child. The whole town knew that the Nesbits were
sending Kenyon to Boston to study music, and that Amos Adams and Grant
could contribute little to the child's support. Grant wondered,
considering the relations between the Van Dorns and Nesbits, whether
sometimes Margaret did not feel a twinge of irritation or regret at the
course of things.

He could not know that even as he walked through the November night,
Margaret Van Dorn, was sitting in her room holding in her hand a tiny
watch, a watch to delight a little girl's heart. On the inside of the
back of the watch was engraved:

"To Lila
from her
Father, for
Her 10th birthday."

And op