Part 11 (1/2)
The old man's got the cards in his hands. The men saw him come in the mill, shut down, and take samples to back him up.”
”Well, what of it?”
”What of it, you fool! This is what of it. He's got you just where he wants you. You'll walk turkey from now on, according to his orders. If there's any dirty work to be done you'll do it. You squeal or you kick, and he'll start the whole slide and bury you.”
”I'm not obliged to do any dirty work for him or any other man. Not even for you. I can quit.”
”And get another job?” Morrison asked, mockingly.
”That's what.”
”Let me just point out a few things. You get mad and quit. Call for your time. Pack your turkey and go to another mill. They will ask your name.
Then, 'Excuse me a minute.' Then they'll go to a little book, and they'll find something like this, 'Henry Luna, mill man, foreman Rainbow mill. Richard Firmstone, superintendent. Discharged on account of stealing ore from the mill.' Then they'll come back. 'No place for you, Mr. Luna,' and you'll go on till h.e.l.l freezes, and that little record of yours will knock you, every clip. When you wear the skin off your feet, and the s.h.i.+rt off your back, you'll come back to the Rainbow, and Mr.
Firmstone will politely tell you that, if you've walked the kick out of you, he'll give you another try.”
Luna was open-eyed. He had grasped but one thing.
”What little book are you talking about?” he asked.
”It's known as the Black List, little lambie. You'll know more about it if you keep on. Every company in Colorado or in the United States has one. You'll run up against it, all right, if you keep on.”
Luna had vague ideas of this powerful weapon; but it had never seemed so real before. He was growing suspicious. He recalled Firmstone's words, ”I've told you a good deal, but not all by a good long measure.” They had seemed simple and straightforward at the time, but Morrison's juggling was hazing them.
”What's a fellow to do?” he asked, helplessly.
”Nothing alone, except to take what's given you. You stand alone, and you'll be cut alone, worked overtime alone, kicked alone, and, when it gets unendurable, starve alone. But, if you've got any sense or sand, don't stand alone to get kicked and cuffed and robbed by a company or by a bunch of companies. Meet union with union, strength with strength, and, if worst comes to worst, fight with fight. Us workingmen have things in our own hands, if we stand together.” Morrison was watching the foreman narrowly. ”And there's another thing. When a long-toothed, sharp-nosed, gla.s.s-eyed company bull-dog puts up a padded deck on a workingman, he'll have the backing of the union to put him down.”
”The union ain't going to take up no private grievance?” Luna spoke, half questioningly.
”They ain't, heh? What's it for, then? Bunching us up so they can pick us off one by one, without hunting us out like a flock of sheep. That ain't the union.” Morrison paused, looking keenly at Luna. ”There's no use scattering. There's nothing as skittish as a pocketful of dollars in a dress suit. If there's a grievance, private or common, go to the company in a bunch. Remonstrate. If that don't work, strike, fight, boycott! No weapons? The poor man's dollar will buy rifles and cartridges as quick as a rich man's checks. We've got this advantage, too. Rich men have to hire men to fight for them; but, by G.o.d, we can fight for ourselves!”
Luna's thick wits were vibrating betwixt fear and vengeance. He had all the ignorant man's fear of superior brains, all the coward's sneaking resentment of a fancied imposition. He could see that fear had blinded his eyes to the real but covert threat of Firmstone's words. Here was his chance to free himself from Firmstone's clutches. Here his chance for revenge.
Morrison was watching him closely.
”Are you with us, or are you going down alone?”
Luna held out his hand.
”I'm with you, you bet!”
”Come up to the Blue Goose some night when you're on day-s.h.i.+ft. We'll talk things over with Pierre.”
Then they parted.
CHAPTER VIII
_Madame Seeks Counsel_
There are many evil things in the world which are best obviated by being let severely alone.