Mr. Hawkins had been in his new lodgings nearly a week and had
frequently discussed the strike with the great labor leader, when he
made bold one evening to state that he had no use for the Brotherhood
and that he had it from inside sources that a number of the old
engineers were going to return to work, and that the strike would soon
be a thing of the past, as would the comfortable jobs that the strikers
had left.
Cowels, of course, was indignant, but he was interested. Mr. Hawkins had
expected as much.
"I'm going out firing myself," he went on, "and I'm promised promotion
as soon as I can start and stop. If I had your experience and your
ability, generally, I could get the best run on the road with a cinch on
a job as M. M. at the first opening. A good man who goes to the
company's rescue now won't want for anything. If he's hard up he can
get all the money he needs--that is a few hundred at least--advanced to
him."
Cowels listened attentively.
Mr. Hawkins lighted a fresh ten-cent cigar and gave one to his landlord.
"Of course, it's different with you," resumed the lodger, "you own your
home and have saved your money, perhaps, but a whole lot of the strikers
are being pinched and they're going to weaken. They'll be cursed a
little bit by the Brotherhood, but the public is dead against the
strikers--read the Chicago papers to-day."
"But the papers are owned body and soul by the Burlington," said Cowels.
"Well, what do you fellows own? That only shows which is the winning
side. You take my advice and let go while you've got plenty."
"Plenty?" echoed Cowels. "Do you suppose I'd take a stranger into my
home--do you think for a minute that I would sit here and let you talk
to me as you have done if I could help myself? Plenty! I'm a beggar."
Hawkins knew that, but he expressed surprise. When they had smoked in
silence for a while the plumber handed an unsealed letter to his
landlord and watched his face closely as he read it.
The letter was from one of the Burlington officials and it stated
plainly that the bearer was empowered to make terms with the gentleman
addressed looking to his return to the service of the company.
Mr. Cowels was very indignant, at first, but finally consented to
discuss the matter. Mr. Hawkins was very cool, explaining that it made
no difference with him one way or the other. The official happened to be
a personal friend of his and had trusted him with this commission. "If
you ask my advice," said the plumber, "I should say take whatever they
offer and go to work. No man can hold out against such odds for any
great length of time; sooner or later you will be as hard up as the
rest, your wife will be in need of the actual necessaries of life, your
children will be crying for food, and how can you answer them if you let
this opportunity pass? To-morrow, I am told, is to be the last day of
grace, so you might better heel yourself and let the Brotherhood walk
the floor for a while. The probabilities are that the strike will simply
be declared off, the old employees to be taken back only as their
services are required, and as new men. Every day that passes adds to the
strength of the company. Labor organizations, like bands of Indians, are
ever at each other's throats. When the Knights of Labor struck on the
Reading those haughty aristocrats of the working world, the Engineers'
Brotherhood, took their places, and now the Knights of Labor engineers
are coming here in carload lots to fill the cabs of the Burlington. If
the engineers were offered their old places back to-day they would bolt
for the round-house nor cast one longing, lingering look for their old
friends. Finally, when the strike is settled it will be by the
engineers. If it is to be declared off, the unconditional surrender of
all the forces will be made by them. If the terms of settlement suit
them, your followers will take their medicine and look pleasant. Bring
the matter nearer home,--to your own experience. You have given your
time, neglected your family, and worked unceasingly for the advancement
of the cause. Your eloquence, your genius and your influence have held
the men in line when they have wavered and would have broken, and what
has your own order done for you, and what will it do at the coming
convention? They have guyed you in public and they will throw you down
hard when the time comes. It's nothing to me, only I hate to see a good
man turned down. I dislike to see real talent and personal worth wasted
upon a lot of loud-mouthed, uneducated coyotes who don't know who
Shakespeare is. You're too big a man, Cowels, that's the trouble;
you're out of your sphere. When you are master-mechanic, with your hands
full of promotions, they will look up to you, and it is all within easy
reach. If you will report for duty to-morrow morning you can go out on
Blackwings to-morrow night, with the Denver Limited, the finest train in
the West, behind you. The best run on the road will be the meanest
position you will ever be asked to fill. But I must say no more, for I
don't want to persuade you to take a step which you might regret in
after years. I only ask you to think it over to-night and choose between
what you call loyalty to the Brotherhood, and your plain duty to your
family--Good-night."
Hawkins possessed, in a remarkable degree, the rare faculty of knowing
how and when to let go.
When Cowels had made the foregoing facts known to his wife, she was
greatly surprised that he would entertain such a proposition for the
smallest fraction of a second, for she had always regarded him as the
soul of honor, and wholly unselfish. Now each pondered in silence over
the proposition. From her point of view it was a choice between the
Brotherhood and her home. Between temporary disgrace for her husband,
and hunger for her children, and she was not long in making up her mind.
The baby had been without milk that day. It had gone to bed hungry for
the first time in its life, and the thought of it made her desperate.
To Cowels's way of reasoning it was simply a question of choice between
the position of master of the Brotherhood and master-mechanic. Which was
nearest, and which would last longest and pay best? These were the
points he was considering, and he chose what appeared to him to be the
surest and quickest way. To be sure, he suffered not a little at the
thought of deserting his comrades, but his personal ambition and
selfishness helped him to determine to report on the following morning,
and to go out with the fast express behind him on the following night.
He tried not to think of the Brotherhood, and to fashion to himself the
glory of success, of fast runs with Blackwings, and future promotion.