Labor unions -- United States -- Drama; Social classes -- United States -- Drama; Strikes and lockouts -- Drama
(_He searches the mountains with his glasses. The rest contemplate
him in silence. In Anderson's eyes, as he watches them, there is a
strange, glad light. Indeed throughout the Scene his manner is that
of a man who is hiding a tremendous triumph_)
HASKELL.
He's out here with his glasses every day.
CHADBOURNE.
One of the richest mines in all the West----
EGERTON.
Very rich mine.
CHADBOURNE.
So I have been informed.
CHIEF OF POLICE.
Been lost for fifty years.
CHADBOURNE.
But with this thing----
(_Indicating the cast_)
You're almost sure to find it.
SECOND SENTRY.
(_To First Sentry, evidently meaning Chadbourne_)
A damn fool.
EGERTON.
Yes, we expect the signal any day.
(_Dicey, King, and Masters appear just inside the mill-yard and,
catching the eye of the Chauffeur, point to Jergens, who, later,
hands the glasses to the Chauffeur and goes to Dicey in the
mill-yard_)
CHIEF OF POLICE.
The citizens had arranged a demonstration.
Flags were to go up that day and cannon boom,
And Colonel Egerton was to make a speech.
EGERTON.
Yes, Clayton, and I'll tell them something, too.
CHIEF OF POLICE.
I guess they'll be ashamed to have it now.
EGERTON.
Why didn't you stay out on the mountains?
HARVEY ANDERSON.
Well----
EGERTON.
Get tired?
JERGENS.
Chief!
HARVEY ANDERSON.
Can't say----
EGERTON.
Then what's the trouble?
(_The Chief of Police joins Jergens and with the three men they
disappear in the mill-yard_)
HARVEY ANDERSON.
Well, you see, Mr. Egerton, it's this way:
A man can piece together things like this,
But somehow you can't get hold of that in here
That goes to pieces when your faith breaks up.
EGERTON.
What do you mean?
HARVEY ANDERSON.
I never could find gold;
It don't run in our family.
EGERTON.
Rather late
In your discovery, it seems to me.
Why didn't you think of it when you first went out?
HARVEY ANDERSON.
Well, you know how it is. You've seen a stone
Hang on a mountain side for years sometimes;
You don't know why; you just don't notice it
Until some morning--jump! she thunders down
And wakes a whole town up; then you remember.
(_He comes forward and looks off in the direction from which he
came as though he were expecting someone_)
EGERTON.
(_To Chadbourne_)
A sort of luck, you see, this getting on.
CHADBOURNE.
Predestination.
EGERTON.
Yes; if a man's rich
He couldn't help but be. There's some old lamp,
An heirloom in his family, that he rubs.
And if he's poor, 'Hard luck.'
CHADBOURNE.
Or been 'ground down.'
EGERTON.
They're told so.
CHADBOURNE.
Egerton's heel.
EGERTON.
_Old_ Egerton's.
(_They walk toward the automobile_)
CHADBOURNE.
I don't know what the country's coming to.
EGERTON.
Merchants are merchants, Chadbourne.
CHADBOURNE.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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