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Following the speech the men were sent to wait in front of the Station to collect their pay
chits. As they waited in the line, Ursus was grumbling continually, 'A lousy day off and we
got to stay and clean up like a bunch of women. There's no food! There's no women! Who
does that man think he is, anyways?' Standing in front of Ursus, Carl paid no attention to his friends complaint. His mind was on the Bluemuds, the both of them, and, the more he thought about them, the more it occurred to him that they were probably well meaning people who just didn't know how to get things done. As was usual on these occasions, Vincent sat at the pay desk distributing the chits while O'Grady stood nearby, watching. 'Name?' 'Relyt.' O'Grady smiled genially. 'How you doing, young Carl? How's the world treating you?' 'Well, enough, O'Grady,' said Carl curtly, taking his chit and moving aside, studying the paper. 'That's good to hear.' The chit made Carl grow angry. He had reviewed these chits in detail previously. Each month the company paid for fifty-six hours worked at the rate of one dollar per hour. Then they deducted $49 for food and lodging, $1 for the principal on his loan and charged $6 interest. His outstanding debt amount to $230 which would in theory take him that many weeks to pay off. However, Carl he suspected by now that this was a debt the Company would never really let him pay off. He regarded O'Grady, Vincent and the other men about him with considerable contempt. They cared only for their shrinking stomachs. When Ursus received his chit he threw the paper back at Vincent and banged his fist down hard upon the desk. 'As far as I'm concerned man you can take that and shove it. What I want to know is when we're going to get more food?' O'Grady's mouth fell open in astonishment and an awestruck silence prevailed. Then every man in the line was shouting their agreement at once. The dissention however, did not last. Johnson and several foremen appeared quickly and plowed into the men, striking out, knocking several down. 'Wait a minute now, Johnson,' said O'Grady pleasantly once order was restored. 'Let's not get carried away now. We'll be reasonable. Let's hear what they got to say. Now then, what's the problem. Let one man speak. Who's it to be?' During the commotion Carl had remained at one side, making no effort to become involved. However, now Ursus turned to him. 'You speak for us, Carl.' O'Grady grinned cheerfully at him. 'Let's have it then, young Carl.' 'The men are hungry at the end of a good summer and you don't care.' 'Of course I care. You heard what Miss Elizabeth said. What can I do?' 'It's clear you're not going hungry, O'Grady.' The men muttered their approval at this statement but O'Grady leaned across the desk and poked Carl in the chest. 'Impudent young bastard that you are. Since when were you stinking miners placed upon the same level as myself? What you don't pay for, you don't eat. Right? Some things a miner can't afford.' Carl held out his chit. 'What's that, O'Grady. Interest, six dollars?' O'Grady looked sullen. 'I don't know. I'm no expert. I get a chit the same as you. I pay it too. Vincent understands. Tell him Vincent.' Vincent looked appealingly at O'Grady. 'Tell him! What harm can it do?' 'It's the charge for the money the Company has loaned you.' 'Last week it was seven dollars. It's different every week. We had less food this week but still charged us, just the same.' 'We charge you the amount we think you ought to pay. And what do you expect? Food is expensive. We're doing you a favor giving it you at the price we do.' 'That's enough,' said O'Grady wearily. 'This is too complicated for me. Get these boys out of here, Johnson. Except Relyt and Griffon. They've had their say. We've taken notice. You've disrupted the who business of giving out the chits,' said O'Grady to Ursus. 'For that you'll spend a week in the stockade. You'll see you men can't mess lightly with O'Grady.' He looked at Carl and shook his head. 'I had great hopes for you, son. You go on disappointing me. You been in the stockade once already... took up with that Sister woman. I don't want you boys thinking it's some sort of club down there. Maybe Vincent can think up something better since you're so bothered about your chit.' 'You could fine him an extra hours work a day for the next two weeks and a dollar a week. That way we'd add two weeks to his debt.' Vincent smiled maliciously. 'Do it, then. And get him out of my sight.' When all the men had received their chits they marched off towards the mine, passing Ursus, looking like a tame bear with a chain about his neck, being led towards the stockade by a Marshal. On the approach to the mine the road ran beside the railroad and the portals of the mine gaped from the cliffside ahead. Entering the mine, the men walked cautiously down a gentle slope to an assembly area where they waited briefly for instructions before dispersing. |
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