“Sure,” said he, with a wry smile, “’tis the women that have the tongues, and that can’t he stopped from usin’ them. Even the boss must know that.” “Maybe so,” replied Mary. “And maybe ’tis the women have the most to suffer in a coal-camp; and maybe the boss knows that.” The girl’s cheeks were red. “Mebbe so,” said Rafferty; and after that there was silence, while he sat puffing his pipe. It was evident that he did not care to go on, that he did not want union speeches made in his home. After a while Mrs. Rafferty made a timid effort to change the course of the talk, by asking after Mary’s sister, who had not been well; and after they had discussed remedies for the ailments of children, Mary rose, saying, “I’ll be goin’ along.” Hal rose also. “I’ll walk with you, if I may,” he said. “Sure,” said she; and it seemed that the cheerfulness of the Rafferty family was restored by the sight of a bit of gallantry. SECTION 19. They strolled down the street, and Hal remarked, “That’s the first word I’ve heard here about a union.” Mary looked about her nervously. “Hush!” she whispered. “But I thought you said you were talking about it!” She answered, “’Tis one thing, talkin’ in a friend’s house, and another outside. What’s the good of throwin’ away your job?” He lowered his voice. “Would you seriously like to have a union here?” “Seriously?” said she. “Didn’t ye see Mr. Rafferty--what a coward he is? That’s the way they are! No, ’twas just a burst of my temper. I’m a bit crazy to-night--something happened to set me off.” He thought she was going on, but apparently she changed her mind. Finally he asked, “What happened?” “Oh, ’twould do no good to talk,” she answered; and they walked a bit farther in silence. “Tell me about it, won’t you?” he said; and the kindness in his tone made its impression. “’Tis not much ye know of a coal-camp, Joe Smith,” she said. “Can’t ye imagine what it’s like--bein’ a woman in a place like this? And a woman they think good-lookin’!” “Oh, so it’s that!” said he, and was silent again. “Some one’s been troubling you?” he ventured after a while. “Sure! Some one’s always troublin’ us women! Always! Never a day but we hear it. Winks and nudges--everywhere ye turn.” “Who is it?” “The bosses, the clerks--anybody that has a chance to wear a stiff collar, and thinks he can offer money to a girl. It begins before she’s out of short skirts, and there’s never any peace afterwards.” “And you can’t make them understand?” “I’ve made them understand me a bit; now they go after my old man.” “What?” “Sure! D’ye suppose they’d not try that? Him that’s so crazy for liquor, and can never get enough of it!” “And your father?--” But Hal stopped. She would not want that question asked!