rather pale. "I do not know if I am brave
or not till I am tried; but I am afraid I
should be a coward."

"South country people are often frightened
by what our Darkshire men and women only
call living and struggling. But when you've
been ten years among a people who are
always owing their betters a grudge, and only
waiting for an opportunity to pay it off,
you'll know whether you are a coward or
not, take my word for it."

Mr. Thornton came that evening to Mr.
Hale's. He was shown up into the drawing-room,
where Mr. Hale was reading aloud
to his wife and daughter.

"I am come partly to bring you a note
from my mother, and partly to apologize for
not keeping to my time yesterday. The note
contains the address you asked for; Dr.
Donaldson."

"Thank you!" said Margaret, hastily,
holding out her hand to take the note, for she
did not wish her mother to hear that they
had been making any inquiry about a doctor.
She was pleased that Mr. Thornton seemed
immediately to understand her feeling; he
gave her the note without another word of
explanation.

Mr. Hale began to talk about the strike.
Mr. Thornton's face assumed a likeness to
his mother's worst expression, which immediately
repelled the watching Margaret.

"Yes; the fools will have a strike. Let
them. It suits us well enough. But we
gave them a chance. They think trade is
flourishing as it was last year. We see the
storm on the horizon, and draw in our sails.
But because we don't explain our reasons,
they won't believe we're acting reasonably.
We must give them line and letter for the
way we choose to spend or save our money.
Henderson tried a dodge with his men, out
at Ashley, and failed. He rather wanted
a strike; it would have suited his book
well enough. So when the men came
to ask for the five per cent they are
claiming, he told 'em he'd think about it,
and give them his answer on the pay-day;
knowing all the while what his answer
would be, of course, but thinking he'd
strengthen their conceit of their own way.
However, they were too deep for him, and
heard something about the bad prospects of
trade. So in they came on the Friday, and
drew back their claim, and now he's obliged
to go on working. But we Milton masters
have to-day sent in our decision. We won't
advance a penny. We tell them we may
have to lower wages; but can't afford to raise.
So here we stand, waiting for their next
attack."

"And what will that be?" asked Mr.
Hale.

"I conjecture, a simultaneous strike. You
will see Milton without smoke in a few days,
I imagine, Miss Hale."

"But why," asked she, "could you not
explain what good reason you have for
expecting a bad trade? I don't know if I use
the right words, but you will know what I
mean."

"Do you give your servants reasons for
your expenditure, or your economy in the
use of your own money? We, the owners
of capital, have a right to choose what we
will do with it."

"A human right," said Margaret, very
low.

"I beg your pardon, I did not hear what
you said."

"I would rather not repeat it," said she;
"it related to a feeling which I do not think
you would share."

"Won't you try me?" pleaded he; his
thoughts suddenly bent upon learning what
she had said. She was displeased with his
pertinacity, but did not choose to affix too
much importance to her words.

"I said, you had a human right. I meant
that there seemed no reason but religious
ones, why you should not do what you like
with your own."

"I know we differ in our religious opinions;
but don't you give me credit for having some,
though not the same as yours?"

He was speaking in a subdued voice, as if
to her alone. She did not wish to be so
exclusively addressed. She replied out in her
usual tone:

"I do not think that I have any occasion to
consider your special religious opinions in the
affair. All I meant to say is, that there is
no human law to prevent the employers from
utterly wasting or throwing away all their
money, if they choose; but that there are
passages in the Bible which would rather imply
—to me at least—that they neglected their
duty as stewards if they did so. However, I
know so little about strikes, and rate of
wages, and capital, and labour, that I had
better not talk to a political economist like
you."

"Nay, the more reason," said he eagerly.
"I shall only be too glad to explain to you all
that may seem anomalous or mysterious to a
stranger; especially at a time like this, when
our doings are sure to be canvassed by every
scribbler who can hold a pen."

"Thank you," she answered, coldly. "Of
course, I shall apply to my father in the first
instance for any information he can give me,
if I get puzzled with living here amongst this
strange society."

"You think it strange. Why?"

"I don't know—I suppose because, on the
very face of it, I see two classes dependent
on each other in every possible way, yet each
evidently regarding the interests of the other
as opposed to their own; I never lived in a
place before where there were two sets of
people always running each other down."

"Who have you heard running the masters
down? I don't ask who you have heard
abusing the men; for I see you persist in