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MRS. AUSTIN.

Oh, horrible!

JIM.

It’s the sort of thing you couldn’t believe unless you saw it. But I saw it. I didn’t care, though. I was a fool. And then my time came.

MRS. AUSTIN.

How do you mean?

JIM.

A blast furnace blew out, and a piece of slag hit me here, where you see that patch. If it wasn’t for the patch you’d see something that would make you sick. It was a pain you couldn’t tell about . . . it was a couple of days before I knew where I was. And the first thing when I came to my senses . . . in the hospital, it was . . . there was a lawyer chap with a paper waiting for me.

MRS. AUSTIN.

[In agitation.] A lawyer?

JIM.

Yes, ma’am. Company representative, you know. And I was to sign the paper . . . it was a receipt for the hospital expenses . . . the operation and all that . . . you see they had to take out what was left of my eye. And of course I couldn’t see . . . I had to sign where he told me to. And when I got well, I found they had trapped me into signing a release.

MRS. AUSTIN.

A release?

JIM.

I had accepted the hospital expenses as a release for all the company owed me. And I couldn’t get any damages . . . and my eye was gone, and all the weeks without any wages.

MRS. AUSTIN.

My God!

JIM.

And they turned me out so weak I could hardly walk; and . . .

MRS. AUSTIN.

[Greatly excited.] Who was this man?

JIM.

Which?

MRS. AUSTIN.

This lawyer?

JIM.

I never heard his name. He was a young fellow . . . handsome . . . smooth- faced . . .

MRS. AUSTIN.

[Whispering.] Oh!

JIM.

Ah, they don’t mind it . . . they’re smooth. They do that all the time. It’s what they get their pay for.

MRS. AUSTIN.

[Covering her face with her hands.] Oh, stop!

JIM.

What’s the matter?

MRS. AUSTIN.

[Looking up with white face.] Nothing. Go on.

JIM.

It was two months before I could work at all. And the rent came due, and they turned us out . . . it was winter-time, and my wife caught a cold, and it turned to pneumonia, and she died. That’s all of that.

MRS. AUSTIN.

Go on.

JIM.

And then, you see, the panic came . . . and the mills shut down . . . sudden as that. The lawyer told me the company would see I always had a job, but that was only to get me to sign.

MRS. AUSTIN.

[Feverishly.] Did you try him?

JIM.

I went to the office and tried; but they wouldn’t even let me see him.

MRS. AUSTIN.

I see. And then?

JIM.

Then I went out to look for work. I had the two babies, you know . . . and God only knows how I loved those babies. I said I’d fight and win out for their sakes. But Amy . . . she was the little one . . . she never had been very strong. When you’re a poor man, you can’t get the best food, even if you know what it is. It ain’t fit milk they sell for the children in this city; and the baby died . . . I never knew what was the matter exactly. And there was only one left . . . and me tramping the streets all day looking for a job. How was I to take care of him, lady? How could I have helped it? [His voice is breaking with emotion.] And oh, ma’am, he was the loveliest little fellow . . . with hair like gold. And so well and strong.