The visit to Hugh Black was by no means so easy an affair as the one to the men had been. When he learnt what her errand was he could hardly believe it. "Whatever will those men get you to do next? I expect the next thing will be, you will represent them in Parliament. I shouldn't wonder, though, but that you'd do it better than the fellow who is there now. But to the point: what have those fellows talked you over to ask me?" "I want you to understand, Mr. Black, they have not told me at all what to say; what I am going to say to you is my own suggestion, to which they agreed." "If that is so it will make a considerable difference." Her first endeavour was to get him to sympathise with the men in their hard toil. She scored a good point when she expressed her surprise that clever men like he was did not invent more machinery to save such heavy toil. "I feel sure you could do it if you tried." From that she passed on to the fact that the men had some time ago found out he was seeking to live his life on a higher plane than at one time. "'A bit religious' is the way they put it." "Well, what if they do?" "I want them to see that that bit is real," was her straight answer; "that God has something to do with your business arrangements." He made no answer, and then she told him the two suggestions she had made to the men, and asked him which he preferred. "You fairly take away my breath!" he exclaimed. "The last one is a splendid idea! I had never thought of that wrinkle! The men would never agree working side by side, but the idea of the 'shifts' and the electric light is a dazzling one. The wonder is, I had never thought of it myself." "You think, then, the electric light could be managed?" "Yes, easily enough. Why, do you know, I should get this contract finished in time to take on another I was thinking I should have to decline! I really ought to pay you for the idea--excuse me," seeing a flush come to her face, "but I am really indebted to you!" "What may I say to the men, Mr. Black?" "That I will have the two 'shifts,' and that if they will work the extra hour I will pay them the sum you have named to them. I could do no other after the help you have been to me." "I wish," she said earnestly, "you had agreed to it out of sympathy with the men, and because you thought God would have you do so." But he made her no answer. Early that evening Jim Coates came to receive the message for the men. He lost no time in returning to his mates. They were assembled in the same place as before. Of course the message was received with cheers. Some of the men could hardly believe their ears. "Well, I never!" was all Ford and some others could say. "And I am to tell you," continued Jim, "that when this job is finished, Mr. Black will have another job on hand." Another cheer. "And he couldn't have taken this job but for the Little Missis." Still a louder cheer.