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CHAPTER I.
THE (ITU-AT STRIKE.
They say 5,000 men have gone out of
the Champion and He Mott mines this
morning," said one of the passengers in
the train to the young man In the seat
by htm as they slowly drew up to the
station.
"I wonder If that Is so?" replied his
companion. "There seems to be some
thing unusual going on. Well, goodby.
This Is my home. 1 shall soon know ull
about It"
The young man caught up his travel
ing bag and hurried out upon the plat
form. The station was entirely deserted ex
cept r.y a few of the ra i Irond employ
ta. The young man loo.; J around n
...:rv if expecting some one. and
then walked hastily across the plat
form and around the corner of the sta
tion. Prom the side of the building the
town and the public square were In full
view. And as they came In sight the
passenger gave an exclamation of won
dor.
The public square was a small park,
with a band stand In the middle of It.
It was situated at the meeting point of
several streets, each of which seemed
to wander down the hills from the dif
ferent mining districts, starting first
ai a footpath trod by the miners, then
developing Into a piece of country road,
adding on fragmeuta of wooden side
walks as It approached the town and
finally growing Into a atreet with pav
ing and cement walks and stores and
office buildings on either side. Direct
ly In front of the band stand, facing
thw park, stood a large church, which
with Ha lot occupied the entire apace
between two streets. The railway ata
tlon formed one aide of the heptagon
made by the converging of the seven
streets. Another church building, two
tracta from the other, formed another
Ida. The rest of the buildings front-1
Ing the park were stores, offlcea of varl-.
oua mining companies and a large ho-1
tel.
Into this center of the heart of the
mining town of Champion on this par
ticular morning, In the year of our
Lord 18915, was gathered the largest
crowd Stuart Duncan ever saw there.
This young man was the son of Ross
Duncan, owner of the largest mines in
Champion. He was 30 years old. had
finished his college education and was
Just home this morning from a year's
trip In Europe. Aa be came down from
the railway atatlon platform and push
ed bla way Into the crowd be said to
himself that In all his travels abroad
ho had not seen anything to compare
with the remarkable gathering In this
mining town where he had been reared
previous to his college life In the east.
The minute he stepped Into the
crowd several voices called out: "Stu
art, lad, give us your band! Glad to
see you back!" The voices were In dif
ferent tones and various degrees of
brogue, Cornish. Finn. English. Irish,
Scotch, lie noticed the subdued action
of the men. They were excited, but
under control. The band stand was
crowded with familiar faces, but Stu
art Duncan looked at only one. That
tvns the face of n short but muscular
young man who was standing with
head uncovered upon the bench which
ran around the Inside of the stand. He
had thick blnck hair, deep set black
eyes, heavy eyebrows, large features,
smooth face and short, round neck. lie
stood leaning forward a little, his left
hand around one of the supports to the
roof of the stand, his right holding nn
old hat which moved gently up and
down.
Stuart moved up nearer the stand
until he was within easy speaking (lis
tance. As he crowded In closer be was
flnully stopped by the great pressure
of the men. Several voices greeted
him, but all of them quietly, and the
Interest of the gathering seemed cen
tered In the figure that stood leaning
out a little over the crowd.
"Whafa It all about? What's the
trouble?" asked Stuart of the men
around blm. "What's Eric doing up
there?"
Before any one could reply the young
man standing on the bench began to
apeak. Ills words came very slowly, as
if every one of them was being thought
out carefully. He stopped every mo
tion of his body and stood perfectly
still. The great crowd In the square
was so quiet that Stuart thought for a
aecond of a scene he once witnessed In
nn English cathedral when 4.000 people
were kneeling Just before a special
service began.
"Brothers." said the apeaker, whom
Stuart had called Eric, "this Is no or
dlnary movement In the history of la
bor. What we have done and what we
are about to do are of the most aerlous
consequence. We have mode a demand
for wages such as will sustain us and
our famlllea thla winter Id comfort. It
haa been refuaed. and we have come
out of the mlnea determined to make a
peaceful but resistless protest for the
rights of our manhood." The apeaker
paused a moment, and Stuart noticed
the hand around the pont tighten its
grip. Then he continued. The quiet
of the crowd waa. If possible, more
deep than before.
"Brothers, we need more than human
wisdom at such a time aa this It Is fit
ting that we bow our head and I in
plore divine aid." Every head IN the
square waa uncovered aa th ats aker'a
voice rang out clear and strong ove
the crowd:
"Lord, we need thy help today.
ask for wisdom. Grant us to knot tl
will. O Lord, keep us from COUOalttll
any lawless act. Keep every man In
f om drunkenness and violence to p
erty or life. We want sitopiy our i ! .
as uieu. We want aragea lodMeW
live iu comfort. Show us what to ii
Keep us today from evil. Itless all D
who work with their hands. Uless
families. We ask it for .lesus" sa
Allien." Tills lie ..lent is based
fart. The writer of tins story was n
ness to a gathering of iron millers
the great strike of July. IS;)."), Win
one of lite miners offered Just BnCfa
pi aver as the above, at Negaun.
Mich.. July 24. 1805.
The speaker lifted his head, and I
miners put on their hats. Stuart k
ed out over the heads of the cro
and up at the man who bad Just pre
ed ami theu out beyond him to i
pine covered hills dotted over with i
engine houses and stork pllei of oi
He noticed the smoke curling from t
furnace stacks and said to himsi
"The pumps are going yet." The win
scene was very vivid to him. '1
crowd, the churches, the park, t
ataud, that familiar face and figure i
there, the hills, the mines, the W
with Iti strong Betting of bumnu
terest, smote him almost with a sli
And at the very nerve renter ul
shock was that brief prayer. It t
atrange, so unusual, so like a atu
unlike real life.
Eric was speaking again tit
making an appeal to the ml in
meud their cause to the world I
conduct. He spoke, as before In
prayed, v. ry slowly and caret
ward the end of his speech he vtt
sight of Stuart.
His face Hushed for an instant,
eyes of the two men met. The look
each man's fare seemed to say, "I wo
der If be Is still the same?"
A clock In the steeple of the large
of the two churches struck 8. Em 1
Jumped down from the bench, and an
other miner took his place and spoke
in a more Impassioned manner to tlu
men. There were cheers and swinging
of hats. Stuart gradually worked bis
way out of the crowd, atopped fre- ;
quently by acquaintances. At last he
had come out In front of the church
with the clock In the tower, looking
about him eagerly for aome one from
hla own home, when a strong voice
from a man standing on the church
atepa above blm exclaimed:
"Say, Stuart, when did you Join the
atrike?"
"Doctor," cried Stuart eagerly, with
a smile of welcome that lighted up bis
thoughtful face wonderfully, "next to
father and Loulae you are the .very
person I wanted to see most Where
are they? They were to mcPf me at
the tralp this morning. Isn't thla a
most astonishing affair? Tell me all
about It"
The doctor ahrugged hla shoulders.
"You know as much about it aa I do
The men went out thla morning with
out notice. The Freeport, Vasplalne
and Dc Mott miners are all here with
the Champion men. They walked over
from the lower range early thla morn
ing." "What do the men want?" Stuart
asked vaguely. He had so many ques
tlons to put be asked the first that oc
curred. The doctor shrugged bla shoulders
again.
"The contract miners want $2 a day.
the trammers $1.75 and the men at the
top 11.50."
"Who Is the leader of the men?"
"You see for yourself; Eric Vassall.
And It seems only yesterday that you
two men were young kids In knlcker
bockers tumbling down the mines and
worrying the life out of the companies
because of your pranks. And now
Eric Is the leader of the biggest strike
on record among the miners, playing
the role of prophet and priest and I
don't know what all. nnd you"
"And I." Interrupted Stuart, with an
other smile, as be pulled the doctor
down off the step above him. "1 Qui
to far nobody, until i have had my
breakfast. I can't understand where
father and Louise CBD be. Haven't
you seen them this morning?"
"No. Oet Into my buggy. I will take
you up to the house."
The doctor's ottice fronted on the
square, and bis horse stood near by
Stuart took one glance back at the
crowd as be and the doctor started up
the street
"It Is a remarkable scene. I have not
witnessed anything like It abroad. I
have seen several strikes In England
and Germany and France since I have
been away. But I never knew a strike
to be opened with prayer, did yon. doc
tor?"
"No." replied the doctor dryly.
Stuart looked at blm. He was driv
ing, us always, with one foot outside
the buggy, the lines gathered up In a
careless way In one hand mid the horse
tearing along like mad up the sandy
red, iron ore street, for they were off
the paving now and going up a sharp
gratle cut through one of the numer
ous bills that surrounded the town. Tin
doctor always drove that way. nnd a
ride with him was as exciting. Stuart
used to say. os working In a powdei
mill during a thunderstorm.
What Mih.II We Hare for DcaerlT
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"Why r Don't you think the prayer
waa sincere'" Stuart asked.
"Sincere enough. But pshaw! What'
the uae? We all know how the stri
will end, prayer or no prayer."
"What'a happened to Eric, docte
He never used to be religious. Not tba
way."
"Salvation Army," replied the docte
briefly.
"Oh!" Stuart looked puxxled. but h
thought he would have it all out wit!.
Eric. There was so much to talk ovei
Since they had parted a year ago. So
many grave questions had arisen iu
their Uvea that needed to be discussed.
He waa growing auxlous as they drove
long concerning his father aud sister
It waa very strange that they had not
met him at the atatlon. Hut the strike
and all might have kept his father. It
waa a different home coming from that
of bla anticipation.
The house stood back from the road
on the aide of the bill. It was a baud
aome brick mansion, surrounded by a
dozen immense pines. Stuart loved the
place. It was dear to bla memories. He
had no recollection of any other home,
although he had been born In one of
the eastern states. It was iu this bouse
that hla mother had died when he was
10 years old. He owed his thoughtful,
romantic, truthful nature tor. From
hla father, on the other haUa. he hud
inherited bis slow, stubborn, occasional
fierce bunting out of passionate feel
lugs. He thought of ull the happy
times In the old bouse where as n boy
audyflater as college man he had eu
Joyed all the luxuries of wealth and
leisure aud companionship.
Suddenly a man drove out of the
roadway luto which he and the doctor
were Just turning to go tip to the house.
Both men pulled up Just in time to
void running into each other.
"la that you. Dr. SuxouV" shouted
the man. "I was just going for you.
Mr. Duncan has been hurt The horses
ran away this morulng and"
Stuart did not wait to bear more. He
Jumped out of the buggy and at the top
of bis speed cut through the grounds
in front of the house. The doctor ut
tered an exclamation, gave bis horse
one abort stroke with the whip and
dashed up the driveway like a whirl
wind. At the end of the long veranda
be 8topped long enough to Jump out
and let the horse go on to the barn.
He met Stuart Just leaping up thu
veranda steps.
"Now, then, my boy," Bald the doc
tor quietly, filling up the doorway with
hla large frame and getting directly in
front of Stuart, "don't get excited.
Thla ia my case, not yours."
"Let me by!" cried Stuart, bis face
almost black with passion. "He is my
father! Perhaps be is dyingl What
right have you to keep In the way?"
"Very well." The doctor spoke soft
ly, almost like a child. He stepped
aside and began to walk slowly down
the veranda atepa. "You have Inherit
ed the Duncan passion to perfection,
but If your father dies through your
nonsensical exercise of It Just now
don't blame me."
Stuart made one stride and caught
the doctor's arm. "Come buck!" be
said. All his black passion was gone
in an Instant. "I will be a man like
you. Come! You will perhaps need
my help."
The doctor looked keenly at blm and
at once turned around and entered the
house with him. The Incident would
not mean anything without a knowl
edge of what was at stake on this oc
casion. But Dr. Saxon bud good rea
son to believe that the life of the son
in this instance was Imperiled by the
fearful excitement which nt rare Inter
vols broke out In him like a torrent.
To confront t tie father With blm under
those conditioU8 might prove serious
to them both.
Within the bouse servants were run
ning about In confusion. The doctor
The doctor lifted her up fust at Stuart en
tered. stopped one of them and said roughly:
"Now. then, are you all crazy here?
Where la Mr. Duncan?"
"They carried blm Into the north
room," waa the answer.
"North room! Why didn't you carry
blm to the north pole and be done
with Itl Here, Stuart! Send one of
the men down for my blnck case at the
ottice and then come to your father."
The doctor went down the long ball,
turned to the right Into another corri
dor and entered a large room at the
end.
Lying over the bed In the middle of
the room waa a young woman. Her
arma were clasped over the face of the
man who lay there, and ahe bad faint
ed in that position.
The doctor lifted her up Just as Stu
art entered.
"O God! Louise, too!" he cried.
The doctor gave him a look that
calmed him and replied: "No; ahe Is In
a faint Now, then, use all the sense
you have, and It won't be too much.
You look after your sister while I see
to your father."
He put Louise Into Stuart's arma,
who, with the servant's help, soon re
stored ber to consciousness, while the
doctor turned to the man on the bed
and Id a muter! manner proceeded to
do all that hla skill and keenness of
practice could do.
Rosa Duncan lay like dead man.
He was of powerful build and looked
very stern and hard even as he lay
there helpless. There waa a terrible
gash over one of bis eyes. He was
covered with blood and dust, bruised
from head to foot, with clothea torn
nd disfigured, but he hud not lost con
sciousness, aud, with the Iron will
which had always characterized him,
he managed to let the doctor know hla
wishes.
"All right, all right. Mr. Duncan."
said the doctor In reply to a whisper
from the wounded man. "I won't give
you any anaesthetic If you don't want
It. I shall have to sew up this little
place over your eye, though. Has that
tortoise got around with that case
yet?" he asked Stuart, who had left
Louise a minute to come over to the
bed.
"He hasn't had time yet, doctor."
"Why didn't he take my horse?"
growled the doctor. "How Is Louise?"
"Better. But what a terrible fall fa
ther must have had!"
Stuart felt for his father'a hand, and
Ross Duncan's fingers closed over those
of his son. Stuart kneeled by the bed
and kissed his father's cheek as he
used to do when a boy. The older man
was evidently moved by the caress. A
teor rolled over his face.
"Come now," broke In the doctor, ap
parently gruffer than ever. "One would
think you two hadu't seen each other
for a yeor at least! We must get him
ready for the operation. Stuart you
promised to help me. Give me your at
tention now."
The doctor soon had his patient as
comfortable as the nature of the Inju
ries would allow. The case arrived,
the gash was sewed up quickly, and
at the end of the hour Ross Duncan
was resting under the Influence of n
draft, while the doctor, Stuurt and
Louise were In nnother room talking
over the accident.
The sister of Stuart Duncan was very
pretty, very proud and very selfish. She
was 0 years younger than her broth
er. She had been two years to a finish
ing school In New York, but had not
flnlshedany particular branch of study.
She could play the piano a little and
the harp a little and do other things,
except housework, a little. She lay on
the lounge now, with Stuart near by
stroking her head, and told the story
of the accident:
"Father and I atarted to drive down
to the atatlon this morning to meet
you, Stuart. When we reached the
crossroad leading up to the Forge mine,
we were early for the train, and father
drove up to the engine house on aome
business. When we got up there, the
miners were gathering to march down
to tbe square. It was the first news of
the atrike we had had. Father waa
very much excited and talked to tbe
men to persuade tbem to go back to
work. Some of tbem talked back in the
most Insulting way; said they were
free men nnd did not hnve to work for
a corporation and all that You know
how they talk, Stuart. Nothing makes
father so angry, and I don't blame him.
I think tbe men are simply horrid to
mnke all this trouble Just now ai: 1
was getting ready to go east for that
yachting cruise with the Vasplalnes,
and this strike will probably stop their
going.
"Then father Jumped out of the car
riage and was golug to give one of the
men who Insulted hltn a good thrash
ing, and serve blm right, when the rest
came around and made him get into
the carriage again. I never saw fa
ther so angry, and I was scared almost
to death, the men were so rough. We
drove back to the crossroad, and at
that steep turn by that old Beury ahaft
we came upon a crowd of miners
marching Into town from the lower
range. They were carrying a large
white banner with some horrid pic
ture on It. The horses were frightened
and turned and ran right toward the
old shaft. I don't know what hap
pened then, only we were thrown out,
and It Is a miracle that I was not kill
eu. Jem, the coachman, was driving,
and he fell on a pile of shaft ore. He
ran up to the bouse and got the other
horses anil brought father and me
borne. 1 fainted away several times,
and when I saw father laid on the bed
with that awful gash on bis head I
thought be was killed. If be dies, the
miners will be to blame. If It hadn't
been for their going out on this atrike.
this horrible accident would not hove
happened. It'a all aa horrid as It can
be!"
At this point Louise burst Into a
great fit of hysterical crying.
"Dear, you must have been hurt by
the fall!" cried Stuart aa he soothed
and comforted her.
"No, no! I was not even bruised!"
replied Louise. She stopped crying and
sat up on the lounge aud began to ar
range her hair.
Dr. Saxon walked toward the other
end of the room with a peculiar look on
his face. Then he wheeled around aud
aald with his characteristic bluntness:
"I must go bnck to the office. I've left
directions for your father's treatment.
He is not dangerously hurt Send for
me If I am needed. Miss Louise, you
had better take those powders and
Keep as quiet aa possible today."
He laid tbe medicine down on a ta
ble and went out. A minute later his
horse was heard rushing by the veran
da and down the road.
So thla was the borne coming of Stu
art Duncan after bla year'a abaence
abroad. He bad visited with Interest
many of the famous capitals of Europe.
He had sauntered through museums
and picture galleries, be had atudled
not very profoundly, but with genuine
interest, the people be bad met and the
customs be bad observed that were
new. The year had been very largely
a holiday for blm. He bad used all the
money he wished, drawing on bis letter
of credit without any thought of econo
my. Hla father waa several times a
salllloaaira anl never stinted the
ey. What he wanted waa that his son
and daughter should have tbe best of
everything, from clothes and food to
education and travel. And Stuart bad
gone through college and through Ku.
rope with about the same easy feeling
or Having a comrortaoie time. He was
perfectly healthy, had no vices (be did
not even like a cigar), unusuniir
thoughtful on aome questions, with n0
particular ambitious and no special cq.
thuslasma. If he gave bla future any
thought while abroad, It waa simply to
picture a life of business In connection
with his father'a mining Interests. That
was his father'a desire, and Stuart did
not have any other.
He bad come home from the plettir
galleries and cathedrals of the nld
world to face first of all this rough jn.
cident of his father'a injury. In con.
nectlon with It was the strike, whlcl
was specially personal not only be,
cause It Involved the Duncan interest,
but because the leader of it was Erl?
Vassall, Stuart's old playfellow and
m I a rr, 1 I. a . . . .
inenu. i ne more am luougiu oi tint
the more he felt the strike to be a s. ri.
ous matter. So much might be invok
ed In It for him and Eric.
Nenrly a week went by before Ron
Duncan wns able to sit up and talk
much. During that time Stuart faith,
fully remained at home. He had not
seen Eric, and Eric, ns he lUppoRed,
hod not been to see him. His father
and Louise needed his constant care
But he anticipated meeting his old
playfellow with a curious feeling of in
citement whenever he thought of that
scene In the public square and recalled
the prayer and Its effect.
At the end of the week father anl
son were talking together over the sit
uation. The miners were still out. and
the strike was still on, with no pros
pect of settlement.
"I tell you, Stuart." said lloss Pun
can, while his great square chin grew
hard and tense, "the companies will
never concede the demands of the nun.
I will never go nn Inch to meet them
while they are In their present atti
tude." "Do you think the men ask too much,
father?"
"Too much! With ore nt the present
price! It Is outrageous, Just when we
were beginning to get on our feet
again. It hns been n very dull winter,
and things were Just beginning to turn
our way again."
"But I thought ore hnd'gone up. Isn't
that what the men claim as the reason
for their demand for an Increase? They
say the wages ought to go up with the
rise In ore."
"They are fools!" Ross Duncan
struck the pillow beside him passion
ately. "The companies were under
contract for large quantities of ore at
the old price before thla rise came. The
rlae will not benefit us any until we
have disposed of our old contracts."
"Why don't the companies tell the
men so?"
"Pshaw! Stuart, you are" Ross,
Duncan controlled himself violently.
Stuart was alarmed for him. He rose
and went over nearer the bed.
"Father, you must not get excited.
Remember what Dr. Saxon snld yes
terday. You must not talk any more
on this subject."
"I shall. There. I can control my
self." It was wonderful to see the ohnntre
that came over the man. He stiffened
bis muscles, then relaxed them nnd let
his hand, which had been clinched,
open easily and He open on the bed-
clothes. Then he snnke without I
quiver of passion, slowly nnd coldly:
"The companies do not tell the men
so because the men wouldn't believe a
word the companies sny. Yet there
Isn't a man In our mines who can say
Ross Duncan ever cheated a man out
of a penny or ever told him an untruth,
I tell you, Stuart, the men are the most
stubborn, ungrateful. Ignorant lot of
animals that ever lived. Why, all last
winter I kept more than a dozen fami
lies going with food and fuel becnuse
they had been sick or shiftless, nnd I'll
warrant you those very families are la
the front row of the pnrades every
morning! The men are cutting their
own throats. The companies will never
give In."
Stuart did not aay anything for
awhile. Then: "Don't you think, fa
ther, that the men hnve been very qoW
and law abiding? There has been no
disturbance thus far."
"Walt till we get the new men Id
from Chicago and then see."
"Will the companle8 try to do that?''
"They certainly will If the strike con
tlnuea another week. We lose our con
tracts unlesa we can deliver the ore as
specified."
"Isn't It a little remarkable, father.'
said Stuart after another pause, "that
the men have opened their meetlnfi U
the square every morning with pray
er?" Ross Duncan uttered a sound that
represented more scorn than a hundred
words.
"Whom do they pray to the devil'''
"The prayer 1 heard the first mon
Ing I came borne was as good n prayer
as I ever heard In church."
"Who offered It?"
"Eric," replied Stuart, flushing up
little.
"He Is tbe leader of the whole strike,
the moat dangerous man on the range
today. I advise you to break wID
blm."
Blnart l..on,l rnnn-nrit o little. "0
remember, father, Eric 8aved my
life
when tbe skip broke In the shaft?"
"Well, It was only what any row
would do. You are not under any gre
debt to him."
Stuart did not reply. He felt tM
atrange passion be Inherited from WJ
father rising In him. and after a W
queatlona aa to hla father's conditio"
be went out of the room.
That afternoon he went up on the
hills for the flrat time since bis return-
He sat down near one of tbe mines
and
thought over bis talk with hla father
Then he grew restleaa and vralkeo
down Into the town. Aa b nasseo
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