"It is a moral
victory, and tell Fabian so. He's a bit huffy because I got into the
trouble, I suppose."
"No, he loathed it all. He's sorry it occurred."
There was no further talk between them, for a subordinate of Carnac's
came hurriedly to him and said something which Junia did not hear.
Carnac raised his hat to her, and hurried away.
"Well, it's not so easy as painting pictures," she said. "He gets fussed
over these things."
It was later announced by the manager of the main mill that there was
to be a meeting of workers to agitate for a strike for higher pay. A
French-Canadian who had worked in the mills of Maine and who was a red-
hot socialist was the cause of it. He had only been in the mills for
about three months and had spent his spare time inciting well-satisfied
workmen to strike. His name was Luc Baste--a shock-haired criminal with
a huge chest and a big voice, and a born filibuster. The meeting was
held and a deputation was appointed to wait on Carnac at his office.
Word was sent to Carnac, and he said he would see them after the work was
done for the day. So in the evening about seven o'clock the deputation
of six men came, headed by Luc Baste.
"Well, what is it?" Carnac asked calmly.
Luc Baste began, not a statement of facts, but an oration on the rights
of workers, their downtrodden condition and their beggarly wages.
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