the nineteenth century; and then all of a sudden the wage-earner will consider that a couple of thousand years or so is enough of this one-sided sort of thing; and he will rise up and take a hand in fi11ng his wages himself. Ah, he will have a long and bitter account of wrong and humiliation to settle.”

“Do ye believe — ”

“That he actually will help to fix his own wages? Yes, indeed. And he will be strong and able, then.”

“Brave times, brave times, of a truth!” sneered the prosperous smith.

“Oh, — and there’s another detail. In that day, a master may hire a man for only just one day, or one week, or one month at a time, if he wants to.”