Now I've got married and have
to stick to my job no matter what they do. In the country I worked like a
dog a few weeks a year, but here I'll probably have to work like that all
the time. It's the way things go. I thought it was mighty funny, all this
talk about the factory work being so easy. I wish the old days were back. I
don't see how that inventor or his inventions ever helped us workers. Dad
was right about him. He said an inventor wouldn't do nothing for workers.
He said it would be better to tar and feather that telegraph operator. I
guess Dad was right."
The swagger went out of Hugh's walk and he stopped to let the men pass out
of sight and hearing along the track. When they had gone a little away a
quarrel broke out. Each man felt the others must be in some way responsible
for his betrayal in the matter of the contest with Ed Hall and accusations
flew back and forth. One of the men threw a heavy stone that ran down along
the tracks and jumped into a ditch filled with dry weeds. It made a heavy
crashing sound. Hugh heard heavy footsteps running. He was afraid the men
were going to attack him, and climbed over a fence, crossed a barnyard, and
got into an empty street. As he went along trying to understand what had
happened and why the men were angry, he met Clara Butterworth, standing and
apparently waiting for him under a street lamp.
* * * * *
Hugh walked beside Clara, too perplexed to attempt to understand the new
impulses crowding in upon his mind.
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