children working they could get along, if only he would
not go to pieces. So Elzbieta went on, with feverish in~
tensity. It was a struggle for life with her; she was not
afraid that Jurgis would go on drinking, for he had no
money for that, but she was wild with dread at the thought
that he might desert them, might take to the road, as Jonas
had done.

But with Ona's dead body beneath his eyes, Jurgis could
not well think of treason to his child. Yes, he said, he
would try, for the sake of Antanas. He would give the
little fellow his chance -- would get to work at once, yes,
tomorrow, without even waiting for Ona to be buried.
They might trust him, he would keep his word, come what
might.

And so he was out before daylight the next morning,
headache, heartache, and all. He went straight to Gra~
ham's fertilizer-mill, to see if he could get back his job.
But the boss shook his head when he saw him -- no, his
place had been filled long ago, and there was no room for
him.

"Do you think there will be?" Jurgis asked. "I may
have to wait."

"No," said the other, "it will not be worth your while
to wait -- there will be nothing for you here."

Jurgis stood gazing at him in perplexity. "What is the
matter?" he asked. "Didn't I do my work?"

The other met his look with one of cold indifference,
and answered, "There will be nothing for you here, I
said."

Jurgis had his suspicions as to the dreadful meaning of
that incident, and he went away with a sinking at the
heart. He went and took his stand with the mob of hun~
gry wretches who were standing about in the snow before
the time-station. Here he stayed, breakfastless, for two
hours, until the throng was driven away by the clubs of
the police. There was no work for him that day.

Jurgis had made a good many acquaintances in his long
services at the yards -- there were saloon-keepers who would
trust him for a drink and a sandwich, and members of his

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v?