LOST IN THE WOODS.
CHAPTER I.
THE CABIN IN THE WOOD.
Harvey Bradley had been superintendent of the Rollo Mills not quite ayear when, to his annoyance, the first strike in their history tookplace.
Young Bradley was a college graduate, a trained athlete, and a brightand ambitious man, whose father was president of the company in NewYork which owned the extensive mills. It was deemed best to have adirect representative of the corporation on the ground, and Harveyqualified himself for the responsible situation by a six-months'apprenticeship, during all of which he wrought as hard as any laborerin the establishment.
He made his home in the remote village of Bardstown, where the RolloMills had been built. He lived with his Aunt Maria, (who went all theway from New York with her favorite nephew that she might look afterhim), and his sister Dollie, only six years old. The plan was that sheshould stay until Christmas, when her father was to come and take herhome. Aunt Maria, with the help of honest Maggie Murray, kept housefor Harvey, who found his hands and brains fully occupied in lookingafter the interests of the Rollo Mills, which gave employment to twohundred men, women and children.
All went well with the young superintendent for some months after theassumption of his duties. He was alert, and surprised every one by hispractical knowledge. He was stern and strict, and, after warningseveral negligent employes, discharged them. This did not help hispopularity, but, so long as the directors were satisfied, Harvey caredfor the opinion of no one else.
When dull times came, Superintendent Bradley scaled down the wages ofall, including his own. The promise to restore them, as soon asbusiness warranted the step, averted the threatened strike. Within amonth the restoration took place, but every employe was required towork a half hour over time without additional pay.
A strike was averted for the time, but the friendly feeling and mutualconfidence that ought to exist between the employer and the employedwas destroyed. The latter kept at work, and the former felt that hehad not sacrificed his dignity nor his discipline.
But the discontent increased. One day Hugh O'Hara, the chief foreman,and Thomas Hansell, one of the most influential of the workmen, calledupon Mr. Bradley, and speaking for the employes, protested against thenew arrangement. They said every man, woman and child was willing towork the extra half hour, but inasmuch as the need for such extra timeindicated an improvement in business, they asked for the additional payto which they were clearly entitled.
Harvey was looking for such protest and he was prepared. He said itwas an error to think there was an improvement in business. While inone sense it might be true, yet the price of the manufactured goods hadfallen so low that the mills really made less money than before. Thewages that had been paid were better than were warranted by the stateof trade. Now, when the employes were asked to help in a slight degreetheir employers who had done so much for them, they would not do so.O'Hara and Hansell, showing a wish to discuss the matter, thesuperintendent cut them short by saying that it was idle to talkfurther. He would not make any reduction in their time, nor would hepay any extra compensation.
That night 200 employes of the Rollo Mills quit work, with theintention of staying out until justice was done them. Harvey assertedthat he would never yield; he would spend a few days in overhauling themachinery and in making a few needed repairs; then, if the employeschose, they could come back. All who did not do so would not be takenback afterwards. New hands would be engaged and in a short time themills would be running the same as before.
O'Hara and Hansell warned the superintendent that serious trouble wouldfollow any such course. While making no threat themselves, they toldhim that blood was likely to be shed. Harvey pooh-poohed and remindedthem that a few men and children would make sorry show in fighting thewhole state, for, in the event of interference by the strikers, hemeant to appeal to the authorities.
The repairs needed at the mills were soon made. Steam was gotten upand the whistle called the hands to work. Only O'Hara and Hansell cameforward. They explained that all would be glad to take their places ifthe superintendent would allow them a slight increase of pay foroverwork. They had held a meeting and talked over the matter, and nowabated a part of their first demand; they were willing to acceptone-half rate for overtime.
The superintendent would not yield a jot. The most that he wouldconsent to do was to wait until noon for them to go to work. The twomen went away muttering threats; not one of the hands answered thesecond call to work.
Quite sure that such would be the result, Harvey had telegraphed toCarville, fifty miles away, for sixty men, to take the place of thosewho had quit work. He asked only for men, since it would have beenunwise to bring women and children to become involved in difficulties.
By some means this step became known, and, as is always the case, itadded fuel to the flames. Warning notices were sent to thesuperintendent that if the new hands went to work they would beattacked; Bradley himself was told to keep out of sight unless ready tocome to the terms of the strikers. Even in his own home, he could notbe guaranteed safety. His house as well as the mills would be burnt.
Harvey felt no special alarm because of these threats; he did notbelieve that those who made them dare carry them out. But that nightthe mills escaped destruction only by the vigilance of the extrawatchmen. The same evening Aunt Maria was stopped on the villagestreet and told that it was best she should lose no time in moving awaywith her little niece Dollie, since it was more than likely theinnocent would suffer with the guilty. For the first time, Harveyunderstood the earnestness of the men; but he clung to his resolutionall the same.
You can see how easily the trouble could have been ended. The employeshad abated their first demand and were willing to compromise. HadHarvey spoken his honest thoughts, he would have said the men wereright, or at any rate he ought to have agreed to their proposal tosubmit the dispute to arbitration; but he was too proud to yield.
"They will take it for weakness on my part," was his thought; "it willmake an end of all system and open the way for demands that in the endwill destroy the business."
The sixty new hands reached Bardstown and were about as numerous as themen who wrought in the mills before the strike. They looked like adetermined band, who would be able to take care of themselves in thetroubles that impended.
The arrivals were received with scowls by the old employes, who hootedand jeered them as they marched grimly to the mills. No blows werestruck, though more than once an outbreak was imminent. It was toolate in the day to begin work, but the new hands were shown through theestablishment, with a view of familiarizing them to some extent withtheir new duties. Most of them had had some experience in the samekind of work, but there was enough ignorance to insure much vexationand loss.
The night that followed was so quiet that Harvey believed the strikershad been awed by his threat to appeal to the law and by the determinedfront of the new men.
"It's a dear lesson," he said to himself, "but they need it, and it ishigh time it was taught to them."
The next morning the whistle sent out its ear-splitting screech, whoseechoes swung back and forth, like so many pendulums between the hills,but to the amazement of Harvey Bradley, not a person was seen comingtoward the mills. The whistle called them again, and Hugh O'Hara andTom Hansell strolled leisurely up the street to the office, where Mr.Bradley wonderingly awaited them.
"You'll have to blow that whistle a little louder," said O'Hara, with atantalizing grin.
"What do you mean, sir?"
"Those chaps all left town last night; they must be about forty milesaway; you see we explained matters to them; I don't think, if I wasyou, I would feel bad about it; they believe they can get along betterat Carville than at Bardstown."
For the first time since the trouble began, Harvey Bradley lost histemper. To be defied and taunted in this manner was more than he couldbear. He vowed over again that not one of the strikers should
doanother day's work for him, even if he begged for it on his knees andhe was starving. He at once telegraphed to Vining, fully one hundredmiles away, where he knew there were many people idle, for one hundredmen who would not only come, but stay. He preferred those who knewsomething about the business, but the first need was that the men wouldremain at their posts, and if necessary fight for their positions. Heguaranteed larger wages than he had ever paid experienced hands, but hewanted no man who would not help hold the fort against all comers. Thesuperintendent was on his mettle; he meant to win.
Having sent off this message, for which it cannot be denied, Harvey hadevery legal and moral warrant, he set out on a long tramp through thewoods at the rear of Bardstown. It was a crisp autumn day, and thelong brisk walk did him much good. The glow came to his cheeks, hisblood was warmed, and his brain cleared by the invigorating exercise.So much indeed did he enjoy it that he kept it up until, to hissurprise, he saw that it was growing dark, and he was several milesfrom home.
It was snowing, though not heavily. He walked fast, but, when nighthad fully come, paused with the uncomfortable discovery that he washopelessly lost in the woods.
"Well, this is pleasant!" he exclaimed, looking around in vain for somelandmark in the gloom. "I believe I shall have to spend the night outdoors, though I seem to be following some sort of path."
He struck a match, shading it with his hand from the chilly wind, andstooped down. Yes; there was an unmistakable trail, and with renewedhope he hurried on, taking care not to stray to either side. Withinthe next ten minutes, to his delight, he caught the twinkle of astar-like point of light among the trees, a short distance ahead.
While making his way hopefully forward, Harvey became aware of asingular fact. The air around him was tainted with a peculiar odor,such as he had never met before. It was of a rank nature, and, whilenot agreeable, could not be said to be really unpleasant. It mighthave interested him more, but for his anxiety to reach the shelterwhich was now so near at hand.
Arriving at the cabin, he found the latch-string hanging out. A sharppull, the door was swung inward and Harvey stepped into a small room,lit up by a crackling wood-fire on the hearth.
As he entered, two men who were smoking their pipes, looked up. Thevisitor could not hide his expression of surprise, for they were HughO'Hara and Thomas Hansell, the last persons in the world he wished tosee.