"
"But what does it mean?" demanded the boy.
"It means," was the answer, "that the Lockman estate has a mortgage of
one hundred thousand dollars on the Express."
And Samuel's jaw fell, and he stood staring at his friend.
"Now you see what it is to be a Socialist!" laughed Everley.
And Samuel saw.
CHAPTER XXX
After supper that evening came Everley with Friederich Bremer, to take
Samuel to the meeting of the local, where he was to tell his story.
The "local" met in an obscure hall, over a grocery shop. There were
present those whom Samuel had met the night before, and about a score
of others. Most of them were working-men, but there were several who
appeared to be well-to-do shopkeepers and clerks. Samuel noticed that
they all called one another "comrade"; and several of them addressed
him thus, which gave him a queer feeling. Also he noted that there
were women present, and that one of them presided at the meeting.
Everley made a speech, reading Samuel's manifesto, and telling how it
had been given out. Then he called upon Samuel. The boy stood upon his
feet--and suddenly a deadly terror seized hold upon him. Suppose he
should not be able to make a speech after all! Suppose he should be
nervous! What would they think of him? But he clenched his hands--what
did it matter what they thought of him? The poor were suffering, and
the truth was crying out for vindication! He would tell these men what
had happened to him.
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