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as they entered the hall once more。 〃An Operative in the Patuxent；
educated himself； went to night schoolmight have been a capitalist like
so many of his tribe if he hadn't loved humanity。 You'll get along with
him。〃
〃I'm sure I shall；〃 she replied。
Rolfe took from his pocket a little red button with the letters I。W。W。
printed across it。 He pinned it； caressingly； on her coat。
〃Now you are one of us！〃 he exclaimed。 〃You'll come to…morrow？〃
〃I'll come to…morrow；〃 she repeated； drawing away from him a little。
〃Andwe shall be friends？〃
She nodded。 〃I must go now； I think。〃
〃Addio！〃 he said。 〃I shall look for you。 For the present I must remain
here； with the Committee。〃
When Janet reached Faber Street she halted on the corner of Stanley to
stare into the window of the glorified drugstore。 But she gave no heed
to the stationery； the cameras and candy displayed there； being in the
emotional state that reduces to unreality objects of the commonplace；
everyday world。 Presently； however； she became aware of a man standing
beside her。
〃Haven't we met before？〃 he asked。 〃Orcan I be mistaken？〃
Some oddly familiar quizzical note in his voice stirred； as she turned to
him； a lapsed memory。 The hawklike yet benevolent and illuminating look
he gave her recalled the man at Silliston whom she had thought a
carpenter though he was dressed now in a warm suit of gray wool； and wore
a white； low collar。
〃In Silliston！〃 she exclaimed。 〃Whywhat are you doing here？〃
〃Wellthis instant I was just looking at those notepapers； wondering
which I should choose if I really had good taste。 But it's very
puzzlingisn't it？when one comes from the country。 Now that saffron
with the rough edges is veryartistic。 Don't you think so？〃
She looked at him and smiled； though his face was serious。
〃You don't really like it； yourself；〃 she informed him。
〃Now you're reflecting on my taste；〃 he declared。
〃Oh noit's because I saw the fence you were making。 Is it finished
yet？〃
〃I put the last pineapple in place the day before Christmas。 Do you
remember the pineapples？〃
She nodded。 〃And the house？ and the garden？〃
〃Oh； those will never be finished。 I shouldn't have anything more to
do。〃
〃Is thatall you do？〃 she asked。
〃It's more important than anything else。 But you have you been back to
Silliston since I saw you？ I've been waiting for another call。〃
〃You haven't even thought of me since；〃 she was moved to reply in the
same spirit。
〃Haven't I？〃 he exclaimed。 〃I wondered； when I came up here to Hampton；
whether I mightn't meet youand here you are！ Doesn't that prove it？〃
She laughed； somewhat surprised at the ease with which he had diverted
her； drawn her out of the tense； emotional mood in which he had
discovered her。 As before； he puzzled her； but the absence of any
flirtatious suggestion in his talk gave her confidence。 He was just
friendly。
〃Sometimes I hoped I might see you in Hampton；〃 she ventured。
〃Well； here I am。 I heard the explosion； and came。〃
〃The explosion！ The strike！〃 she exclaimed； suddenly enlightened。 〃Now
I remember！ You said something about Hampton being nitro…glycerine
human nitro…glycerine。 You predicted this strike。〃
〃Did I？ perhaps I did；〃 he assented。 〃Maybe you suggested the idea。〃
〃I suggested it！ Oh no； I didn'tit was new to me； it frightened me at
the time； but it started me thinking about a lot of things that had never
occurred to me。〃
〃You might have suggested the idea without intending to； you know。 There
are certain people who inspire propheciesperhaps you are one。〃
His tone was playful； but she was quick to grasp at an inferencesince
his glance was fixed on the red button she wore。
〃You meant that I would explode； too！〃
〃Oh nonothing so terrible as that；〃 he disclaimed。 〃And yet most of us
have explosives stored away inside of usinstincts； impulses and all
that sort of thing that won't stand too much bottling…up。〃
〃Yes； I've joined the strike。〃 She spoke somewhat challengingly； though
she had an uneasy feeling that defiance was somewhat out of place with
him。 〃I suppose you think it strange； since I'm not a foreigner and
haven't worked in the mills。 But I don't see why that should make any
difference if you believe that the workers haven't had a chance。〃
〃No difference；〃 he agreed； pleasantly； 〃no difference at all。〃
〃Don't you sympathize with the strikers？〃 she insisted。 〃Orare you on
the other side； the side of the capitalists？〃
〃I？ I'm a spectatoran innocent bystander。〃
〃You don't sympathize with the workers？〃 she cried。
〃Indeed I do。 I sympathize with everybody。〃
〃With the capitalists？〃
〃Why not？〃
〃Why not？ Because they've had everything their own way； they've
exploited the workers； deceived and oppressed them； taken all the
profits。〃 She was using glibly her newly acquired labour terminology。
〃Isn't that a pretty good reason for sympathizing with them？〃 he
inquired。
〃What do you mean？〃
〃Well； I should think it might be difficult to be happy and have done all
that。 At any rate； it isn't my notion of happiness。 Is it yours？〃
For a moment she considered this。
〃Nonot exactly；〃 she admitted。 〃But they seem happy；〃 she insisted
vehemently； 〃they have everything they want and they do exactly as they
please without considering anybody except themselves。 What do they care
how many they starve and make miserable？ Youyou don't know； you can't
know what it is to be driven and used and flung away！〃
Almost in tears； she did not notice his puzzled yet sympathetic glance。
〃The operatives； the workers create all the wealth； and the capitalists
take it from them； from their wives and children。〃
〃Now I know what you've been doing；〃 he said accusingly。 〃You've been
studying economics。〃
Her brow puckered。
〃Studying what？〃
〃Economicsthe distribution of wealth。 It's enough to upset anybody。〃
〃But I'm not upset；〃 she insisted； smiling in spite of herself at his
comical concern。
〃It's very exciting。 I remember reading a book once on economics and
such things； and I couldn't sleep for a week。 It was called ‘The
Organization of Happiness；' I believe； and it described just how the
world ought to be arrangedand isn't。 I thought seriously of going to
Washington and telling the President and Congress about it。〃
〃It wouldn't have done any good；〃 said Janet。
〃No； I realized that。〃
〃The only thing that will do any good is to strike and keep on striking
until the workers own the millstake everything away from the
capitalists。〃
〃It's very simple；〃 he agreed； 〃much simpler than the book I read。
That's what they call syndicalism； isn't it？〃
〃Yes。〃 She was conscious of his friendliness； of the fact that his
skepticism was not cynical； yet she felt a strong desire to convince him；
to vindicate her new creed。 〃There's a man named Rolfe； an educated man
who's lived in Italy and England； who explains it wonderfully。 He's one
of the I。W。W。 leadersyou ought to hear him。〃
〃Rolfe converted you？ I'll go to hear him。〃
〃Yesbut you have to feel it； you have to know what it is to be kept
down