"No better," was his answer. My father turned to him slowly as though he had not heard just right. "But as a matter of fact," I went on, "you wouldn't have to, would you? You'd expect Sue to earn money as well as yourself." "I hope so--if she wants to--it's my idea of a woman's life." "And the work you hope she'll enter will be the kind you believe in--organizing labor and taking an active part in strikes?" "Yes. She's a good speaker----" "I see. And if you were out of a job at times you'd be willing to let her support you?" Sue angrily half rose from her chair, but Joe with a grim move of his hand said softly, "Sit down and try to stand this. Let's get it over and done with." Then he turned quietly back to me. "Why yes--I'd let her support me," he said. "You mean you don't care one way or the other. You'd both be working for what you believe in, and how you lived wouldn't especially count?" "That's about it." "What do you believe in, Joe? Just briefly, what's your main idea in stirring up millions of ignorant men?" "Mainly to pull down what's on top." "As for instance?" "All of it. Business, industry and finance as it's being run at present." "A clean sweep. And in place of that?" "Everything run by the workers themselves." "For example?" I asked. "The ships by the stokers?" "Yes, the ships by the stokers," he said. And I felt Dad stiffen in his chair. "As they will be when the time comes," Joe added. "How soon will that be?" "I'll see it," he said. "The working people in full control. No restraints whatever from above." "There won't be anyone left above. No more gods," he answered. "Not even one?" "Is there one?" he asked. "You're an atheist, aren't you," I said. "Yes, when I happen to think of it." "And Sue would likely be the same." "Isn't she now?" he inquired. I dropped the point and hurried on. "How about Sue's friends, Joe? In a life like that--always in strikes--she'd have to give them up, wouldn't she?" "Probably. Some of 'em think they're radicals, but I doubt if they'd come far out of the parlor." "So her new friends would be either strikers or the people who lead in strikes. Her life would be practically sunk in the mass." "I hope so." "You may be in jail at times." "Quite probably." "Sue too?" "Possibly." I caught the look in my father's face and knew that I had but a few moments more. "Do you want to marry her, Joe?" I asked. "Yes, I'll go down to City Hall--if a large fat Tammany alderman can make our love any cleaner." "You mean you don't believe in marriage." "Not especially," he said. "And so if either gets sick of the other he just leaves without any fuss." "Naturally." There was a pause. And then Joe spoke again. "You're a better interviewer than I thought you were," he said. "You've made the picture quite complete--as far as you can see it. Of course you've left all the real stuff out----"