workers　but　also　of　speaking　her　mind　if　in　her　judgment　they　were
  guilty　of　transgressing　the　Sabbath　law。　　〃The　meeting　will　be　just
  as　religious　as　Mr。　Matheson's　anyway。〃
  〃A'm　no　sae　sure；〃　said　his　mother　grimly。
  Whether　religious　in　the　sense　understood　by　Mrs。　McNish；　the
  meeting　was　not　wanting　in　ethical　interest　or　human　passion。　　It
  was　a　gathering　of　the　workers　in　the　various　industries　in　the
  town；　Trade　Unionists　most　of　them；　but　with　a　considerable　number
  who　had　never　owed　allegiance　to　any　Union　and　a　number　of
  disgruntled　ex…Unionists。　　These　latter　were　very　vociferous　and
  for　the　most　part　glib　talkers；　with　passions　that　under　the
  slightest　pressure　spurted　foaming　to　the　surface。　　Returned
  soldiers　there　were　who　had　taken　on　their　old　jobs　but　who　had　not
  yet　settled　down　into　the　colourless　routine　of　mill　and　factory
  work　under　the　discipline　of　those　who　often　knew　little　of　the
  essentials　of　discipline　as　these　men　knew　them。　　A　group　of
  French…Canadian　factory　hands；　taken　on　none　too　willingly　in　the
  stress　of　war　work；　constituted　an　element　of　friction；　for　the
  soldiers　despised　and　hated　them。　　With　these　there　mingled　new
  immigrants　from　the　shipyards　and　factories　of　the　Old　Land；　all
  members　or　ex…members　of　Trade　Unions；　Socialists　in　training　and
  doctrine；　familiar　with　the　terminology　and　jargon　of　those
  Socialistic　debating　schools；　the　Local　Unions　of　England　and
  Scotland；　alert；　keen；　ready　of　wit　and　ready　of　tongue；　rejoicing
  in　wordy；　passionate　debate；　ready　for　anything；　fearing　nothing。
  The　occasion　of　the　meeting　was　the　presence　of　a　great　International
  Official　of　the　American　Federation　of　Labour；　and　its　purpose　to
  strengthen　International　Unionism　against　the　undermining　of
  guerilla　bands　of　non…Unionists　and　very　especially　against　the　new
  organizations　emanating　from　the　far　West；　the　One　Big　Union。
  At　the　door　of　the　hall　stood　Mr。　Wigglesworth；　important；　fussy
  and　unctuously　impressive；　welcoming；　directing；　introducing　and；
  incidentally　but　quite　ineffectively；　seeking　to　inspire　with
  respect　for　his　august　person　a　nondescript　crowd　of　small　boys
  vainly　seeking　entrance。　　With　an　effusiveness　amounting　to
  reverence　he　welcomed　McNish　and　directed　him　in　a　mysterious
  whisper　toward　a　seat　on　the　platform；　which；　however；　McNish
  declined；　choosing　a　seat　at　the　side　about　half　way　up　the　aisle。
  A　local　Union　official　was　addressing　the　meeting　but　saying
  nothing　in　particular；　and　simply　filling　in　till　the　main　speaker
  should　arrive。　　McNish；　quite　uninterested　in　the　platform；　was
  quietly　taking　note　of　the　audience；　with　many　of　whom　he　had　made
  a　slight　acquaintance。　　As　his　eye　travelled　slowly　from　face　to
  face　it　was　suddenly　arrested。　　There　beside　her　father　was　Annette
  Perrotte；　who　greeted　him　with　a　bright　nod　and　smile。　　They　had
  long　ago　made　up　their　tiff。　　Then　McNish　had　another　surprise。　　At
  the　door　of　the　hall　appeared　Captain　Jack　Maitland　who；　after
  coolly　surveying　the　room；　sauntered　down　the　aisle　and　took　a　seat
  at　his　side。　　He　nodded　to　McNish。
  〃Quite　a　crowd；　McNish；〃　he　said。　　〃I　hear　the　American　Johnnie　is
  quite　a　spouter　so　I　came　along　to　hear。〃
  McNish　looked　at　him　and　silently　nodded。　　He　could　not　understand
  his　presence　at　that　kind　of　a　meeting。
  〃You　know　I　am　a　Union　man　now；〃　said　Captain　Jack；　accurately
  reading　his　silence。　　〃Joined　a　couple　of　months　ago。〃
  But　McNish　kept　his　face　gravely　non…committal；　wondering　how　it
  was　that　this　important　bit　of　news　had　not　reached　him。　　Then　he
  remembered　that　he　had　not　attended　the　last　two　monthly　meetings
  of　his　Union；　and　also　he　knew　that　little　gossip　of　the　shops　came
  his　way。　　None　the　less；　he　was　intensely　interested　in　Maitland's
  appearance。　　He　did　Captain　Jack　the　justice　to　acquit　him　of
  anything　but　the　most　honourable　intentions；　yet　he　could　not　make
  clear　to　his　mind　what　end　the　son　of　his　boss　could　serve　by
  joining　a　Labour　Union。　　He　finally　came　to　the　conclusion　that
  this　was　but　another　instance　of　an　〃Intellectual〃　studying　the
  social　and　economic　side　of　Industry　from　first…hand　observation。
  It　was　a　common　enough　thing　in　the　Old　Land。　　He　was　conscious　of
  a　little　contempt　for　this　dilettante　sort　of　Labour　Unionism；
  and　he　was　further　conscious　of　a　feeling　of　impatience　and
  embarrassment　at　Captain　Jack's　presence。　　He　belonged　to　the　enemy
  camp；　and　what　right　had　he　there？　　From　looks　cast　in　their
  direction　it　was　plain　that　others　were　asking　the　same　question。
  His　thought　received　a　sudden　and　unexpected　exposition　from　the
  platform　from　no　less　a　person　than　Mr。　Wigglesworth　himself　to
  whom　as　one　of　the　oldest　officials　in　Unionised　Labour　in　the　town
  had　been　given　the　honour　of　introducing　the　distinguished　visitor
  and　delegate。
  In　flowing　periods　and　with　a　reckless　but　wholly　unauthorised
  employment　of　aspirates　he　〃welcomed　the　（h）audience；　（h）especially
  the　ladies；　and　other　citizens　among　'oom　'e　was　delighted　to
  （h）observe　a　representative　of　the　（h）employing　class　'oo　was　for
  the　present　'e　believed　one　of　themselves。〃　　To　his　annoyed
  embarrassment　Captain　Jack　found　himself　the　observed　of　many　eyes；
  friendly　and　otherwise。　　〃But　'e　would　assure　Captain　Maitland　that
  although　'e　might　feel　as　if　'e　'ad　no　right　to　be　'ere〃
  〃'Ere！　'Ere！〃　came　a　piercing　voice　in　unmistakable　approval；
  galvanising　the　audience　out　of　its　apathy　into　instant　emotional
  intensity。
  〃（H）I　want　most　（h）emphatically　to　（h）assure　Captain　Maitland；〃
  continued　Mr。　Wigglesworth；　frowning　heavily　upon　the　interrupter；
  〃that　'e　is　as　welcome〃
  〃No！　　No！〃　cried　the　same　Cockney　voice；　followed　by　a　slight
  rumbling　applause。
  〃I　say　'e　is；〃　shouted　Mr。　Wigglesworth；　supported　by　hesitating
  applause。
  〃No！　　No！　　We　don't　want　no　toffs　'ere。〃　　This　was　followed　by　more
  definite　applause　from　the　group　immediately　surrounding　the
  speaker。
  Mr。　Wigglesworth　was　much　affronted　and　proceeded　to　administer　a
  rebuke　to　the　interrupter。
  〃I　（h）am　surprised；〃　he　began；　with　grieved　and　solemn　emphasis。
  〃Mr。　Chairman；〃　said　the　owner　of　the　Cockney　voice；　rising　to　his
  feet　and　revealing　himself　a　small　man　with　large　head　and　thin
  wizened　features；　〃Mr。　Chairman；　I　rise　to　protest　right　'ere　an'
  naow　against　the　presence　of　（h）any　representative　of　the　（h）enemy
  class　at〃
  〃Aw；　shut　up！〃　yelled　a　soldier；　rising　from　his　place。　　〃Throw　out
  the　little　rat！〃
  Immediately　there　was　uproar。　　On　every　side　returned　soldiers；
  many　of　whom　had　been　in　Captain　Jack's　battalion；　sprang　up　and
  began　moving　toward　the　little　Cockney　who；　boldly　standing　his
  ground；　was　wildly　appealing　to　the　chair　and　was　supported　by　the
  furious　cheering　of　a　group　of　his　friends；　Old　Country　men　most　of
  whom；　as　it　turned　out；　were　of　the　extreme　Socialist　type。　　By
  this　time　it　had　fully　been　borne　in　upon　Captain　Jack's　mind；
  somewhat　dazed　by　the　unexpected　attack；　that　he　was　the　occasion
  of　the　uproar。　　Rising　from　his　place　he　tried　vainly　to　catch　the
  Chairman's　attention。
  〃Come　up　to　the　platform；〃　said　a　voice　in　his　ear。　　He　turned　and
  saw　McNish　shouldering　his　way　through　the　excited　crowd　toward　the
  front。　　After　a　moment's　hesitation　he　shrugged　his　shoulders　and
  followed。　　The　move　caught　the　eye　and　apparently　the　approval　of
  the　audience；　for　it　broke　into　cheers　which　gathered　in　volume
  till　by　the　time　that　McNish　and　Captain　Jack　stood　on　the　platform
  the　great　majority　were　wildly　yelling　their　enthusiastic　approval
  of　their　action。　　McNish　stood　with　his　hand　raised　for　a　hearing。
  Almost　instantly　there　fell　a　silence　intense　and　expectant。　　The
  Scotchman　stood　looking　in　the　direction　of　the　excited　Cockney
  with　cold　steady　eye。
  〃A'm　for　freedom！　　The　right　of　public　assembly！　　A'm　feart　o'　nae
  enemy；　not　the　deevil　himself。　　This　gentleman　is　a　member　of　my
  Union　and　he　stays　r…r…right　he…e…r…re。〃　　With　a　rasping　roll　of
  his　r's　he　seemed　to　be　ripping　the　skin　off　the　little　Cockney's
  very　flesh。　　The　response　was　a　yell　of　savage　cheers　which　seemed
  to　rock　the　building　and　which　continued　while　Mr。　Wigglesworth　in
  overflowing　effusiveness　first　shook　Maitland's　limp　hand　in　a
  violent　double…handed　pump　handle　exercise　and　then　proceeded　to
  introduce　him　to　the　distinguished　visitor；　shouting　his　name　in
  Maitland's　ear；　〃Mr　'Oward　（H）E。　Bigelow；〃　adding　with　a　sudden
  inspiration；　〃（H）Introduce　'im　to　the　（h）audience。　　Yes！　　Yes！
  Most　（h）assuredly；〃　and　continued　pushing　both　men　toward　the　front
  of　the　platform；　the　demonstration　increasing　in　violence。
  〃I　say；　old　chap；〃　shouted　Captain　Jack　in　the　stranger's　ear；　〃I
  feel　like　a　fool。〃
  〃I　feel　like　a　dozen　of　'em；〃　shouted　Mr。　Bigelow　in　return。
  〃But；〃　he　added　with　a　slow　wink；　〃this　old　fool　is　the　daddy　of
  'em　all。　　Go　on；　introduce　me；　or　they'll　bust　something　loose。〃
  Captain　Jack　took　one　step　to　the　front　of　the　platform　and　held　up
  his　hand。　　The　cheering　assumed　an　even　greater　violence；　then
  ceased　in　sudden　breathless　silence。
  〃Ladies　and　gentlemen；〃　he　said　in　a　slightly　bored　voice；　〃this
  gentleman　is　Mr。　Howard　E。　Bigelow；　a　represent