John felt reassured by these words and said, "Thank you. Thank you, indeed. I certainly have striven hard to deserve your good opinion."
When John was through, the foreman resumed, "But I am very sorry to say that I have bad news for you."
John's hat, which he was holding in his hands, dropped to the floor and he grew weak from the shock of disappointment. He said to himself, "I am not promoted. I shall have to work along at the same old figure."
The foreman paused before delivering the next blow. "The bad news that I have to tell you, John, is that you cannot work for us any more."
"Who has been lying to you on me? Let me face my accuser," said John aroused, excited.
"No one has spoken ill of you, John. There is not a man in the shop but is your friend. It is not that we find fault with your work that you have to go."
"What on earth then is it?" asked John.
"The Labor Union has ordered us to discharge you."
"The Labor Union! I thought that the Bilgal works belonged to Messrs. Morrison and Brown."
"They do, John, they do. But it is this way. The Labor Union will order all of its members throughout the country to quit working for any shop that will employ any man to work who is not a member of the Union. All of the men in our shop, except yourself, belong to the organization, and it has sent us word that they will be called out on a strike unless you are discharged. You see you are not a member and they will not let their members work with non-union men."