I'd always thought 'twas garden everywhere. I walked on up the river and sat down Upon the logs up there, and night came on. And in the waters flowing at my feet The lighted land went by, cities and towns And the vast murmur and the daily life Of those that toil, the hunger and the care. And in my heart I knew that it was true, That what you said was true. And I came back Filled with such peace as I had never known. 'I'll enter business, father.' And I did. I started at the bottom in the mill Helping the engineer, and from the saws Carried the lumber with the other men. Then in the yard. You always praised my work. I'm in the office now at twenty-seven, And Secretary of the Company. I think I know the business pretty well. You've said so. But somehow---- (_He pauses_) MRS. EGERTON. What is it, Harry? HARRY EGERTON. In Public Life, if I had chosen that, And after six years' work that you approved, If one day I had come---- EGERTON. You want the mill. HARRY EGERTON. 'Father, I can't go on; my way is blocked And all my hopes are falling to the ground.' There's nothing, not one thing you wouldn't have done. Or if I had a building half way up, My masterpiece, a mighty capitol That finished would be known throughout the land, And I had met with interference, men Who had no vision--you know what I mean-- And I had come to you, 'Father, I'm thwarted,' O I can see with one sweep of your hand How you would clear the skies. EGERTON. You want the mill. HARRY EGERTON. Yes, father. EGERTON. I thought so. HARRY EGERTON. I want the mill. GEORGE EGERTON. And thought you'd blackmail father. HARRY EGERTON. Listen to me! For probably in all my life I'll never Speak to you as I'm speaking now, my father. MRS. EGERTON. Donald, I beg of you---- GEORGE EGERTON. Well, I'll be---- MRS. EGERTON. George! HARRY EGERTON. In these six years for one cause or another There've been three strikes that have cost the Company thousands In money, to say nothing of those things That all the money in the world can't buy. Now let me ask, my father, if this loss, Instead of springing from these strikes, had come Through breakdowns of the machinery, or in the camps Through failure to get the timber out in time, Wouldn't you have dismissed the man in charge? Then why do you let Jergens run the mill? Hasn't he failed, and miserably, with the men? GEORGE EGERTON. What have you to do with it? EGERTON. I'll attend to this. (_George Egerton walks away and stands by the pine trees, picking off and biting the needles_) HARRY EGERTON.