a grim prejudice against compromise that seemed on this evening especially characteristic of these men. They approached the Halket Library with sullen reluctance and apprehension.
Inside the doors of the Auditorium there was the subdued atmosphere of a church. At ten minutes to eight o'clock when were sitting in the aisles and standing at the back office hall, and their talk was all in murmurs. The only disturbing sounds proceeded from without, as constantly increasing numbers of people tried to enter. Perhaps one reason for the constraint which lay upon the great room was to be found in the presence of the reception committee on the platform—six men, seated in a formal semi-circle, with a chilling gap in the middle, where was placed an empty, significant chair. There was a vacant chair also on the extreme right for Tustin, the organizer of this committee, who was in the dressing-room awaiting the arrival of the speaker. His associates he had sent out on the platform to impart dignity to the meeting. He had written to Colonel Halket that the iron-workers desired to show him some special mark of respect on the occasion of his address and proposed, if it was not distasteful to him, that it should take the form of a committee of welcome. Colonel Halket, after returning heart-felt thanks for the proposed honor, had exhibited Tustin's letter to Floyd triumphantly.
"That shows!" he had cried. "And this Tustin's the fellow that a few days ago, according to your account, was trying to inflame the people against me! I knew that all they needed was time to think things over, and they'd come round."
"Well," said Floyd, "I'm perfectly willing to come round."
Because of this acquiescence and his own rising good humor over the turn that affairs had taken, Colonel Halket had at the last moment invited the young man to accompany him to the meeting and witness his triumph.
