Page:Stanwood Pier--The ancient grudge.djvu/320

Rh "Mr. Caskey has the floor," Tustin announced.

Caskey stood where he rose and clasped his hands behind his back.

"I've got nothing in common with the man that's just spoke," he said. "He ain't representative, he ain't for anything, or anybody except himself, first, last, and all the time. But I am for the workingman, Colonel Halket, and on behalf of the workingman I am opposed to this combination idea, without reference to anything the speaker before me has said. I am opposed to the combination for this reason. You give us to understand it will be all right for us because you will be running it and will give the mills here the best show. Well, we've got to look ahead. You're quite an old man and not so strong as you once was; maybe you won't last so long as you think. And when you go most likely some other interest will get control, and some other mill will have the pull. Whereas if these mills stay independent, your dying won't make such a great deal of difference to us."

"Sir," said Colonel Halket, with a trembling voice, "it is not necessary to introduce the subject of my death into this discussion."

"We have got to be prepared," Caskey returned brutally. "And not even the best of us lives forever. I am opposed to the combination."

"And what if you are!" cried Colonel Halket, suddenly flaming out with fury. "What business is it of yours? What will you do about it? Oppose it; go ahead; oppose it." He shook his finger scoldingly at the squat, unyielding figure. "I'm not going to die—and if I were, my mills will go on. You are a demagogue—an agitator; sit down, sir; sit down! You oppose my idea, do you?—and what do I care? Oppose it then; what can you do? What can you do?"

"A good many things," Caskey replied. "Not me personally,—but all of us. That's what you've got to reckon with. Colonel Halket—all of us."