Molly got up to get the man some coffee as he started to introduce himself. He looked around for a place to sit, when Charlie decided to offer him his chair. “I’m just off the train. My, the snow has really started to fall.”
She placed a cup of coffee in front of him which he quickly reached for taking a long sip. We all sat there looking at him. “I’m Thaddeus Wilson, and I represent McCullum and Groggins. They would very much like for you to come up to Silverton to solve the problem.”
“Representative?” questioned Marta.
“Lawyer,” snapped Doc quickly.
Holding my cup in both hands I looked at him. “Why didn’t this McCullum or Groggins come instead of you?” I asked.
“Oh, my, they’re in Philadephia, “Came his reply,” with a small laugh. “It was Joe Hoskins from the Little Bird Mine who sent me. We, he, needs your help.”
“I’m waitin’ to hear how I could possibly be of help.”
“The miners!” he lifted his voice. “They’ve all quit. You need to make them go back to work.”
Pulling on the end of my moustache, I leaned back in my chair. “How in the world do you think that is my job? Last I heard it wasn’t illegal to quit.” Then I turned my attention to Charlie. “Do you know anything about this?”
“First I’ve heard of it,” he remarked with a shrug.
Doc turned in his seat to look jat Wilson. “Doesn’t make sense for them to quit this time of year. They must’ve had good reason,” he snapped.
“They just want more money!” asserted Wilson. “Mr. Hoskins would like for you to remove them from the housing in which they are being provided by the company.”
I leaned forward over the table. “I wouldn’t kick a person out of their homes this time of year. That would be just plain cruel. Plus the fact that it is not a federal offense.”
“Then it will be upon your conscience if any of these men or their families are hurt when they are put out of company homes,” Wilson retorted, looking at me then to Charlie. “I’ll report this to your superiors that you’re hindering the shipment of gold to the mint by not following through with your job!”
“Report away,” I muttered, then picked up my coffee. It had gotten cold.
“What is it that caused them to walk off,” questioned Doc. “They must have had good reason.”
“Money!” exclaimed Wilson. “They want a dollar a day raise.”
Molly smiled at him, “Mr. Wilson, may I ask how much they make now?”
“Most of them three dollars a day, some less,” came his retort. “Can you imagine wanting a dollar more a day? That’s unheard of!”
I sighed deeply, he was beginning to get on my nerves. “Wilson, have you ever been down in one of those mines? It’s dark, it’s dirty, and they breathe that coal dust for twelve hours a day. Plus I doubt that the safety conditions of the mine are not adequate.”
He stood up, his lip curled slightly as he answered, “Most certainly not, that’s why we hire their kind.”
That gave me the urge to throw “his kind” out of the diner. Molly must have known what I was thinking for she put her hand on my arm.
After he turned and left, Charlie spoke up. “Reckon I’d better ride up on the next train.”
“Oh, Charlie, why? It’s snowing. You could be snowed in for Christmas,” cried out Marta.
“Want me to go with you?” I asked.
“No, as you said it really doesn’t concern you. I just want to talk with those miners and try to keep something more serious from happening,” he placed his hand on Marta’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, I’ll be back before Christmas; it’s over two weeks away.”
Getting up he put on his coat and went out the entrance.
“Miles, I’ll forever not understand the thinking of a man like that. A man without humanity,” he snorted.
I grabbed the coffee pot…