You spent a week at Selden's summer borne, and it was
Selden who cornered wheat three years ago and raised the price of
bread two cents a loaf. It was Selden who brought about the bread
riots in New York, Chicago, and a score of other cities, who swung
wide the prison doors for thousands, whose millions were gained at
a cost of misery, crime, and even death. And Selden is only one
out of thousands who live to-day, watching for their
opportunities, giving no heed to those who may fall under the
juggernaut of their capital. This isn't the age of petty
discrimination, Greggy. It's the age of the almighty dollar, and
of the fight for it. And there's no chivalry, no quarter shown in
this fight. Men of Selden's stamp don't stop at women and
children. The scrubwoman's dollar is just as big as yours or mine,
and if a scheme could be promoted whereby every scrubwoman in
America could be safely robbed of a dollar you'd find thousands of
men down there in our cities ready to go into it to-morrow. And to
such men as these what is the sacrifice of a few women up here?"
Gregson dropped the letter, crumpled and twisted, upon the table.
"I wonder--if I understand," he said, looking into Philip's white
face.
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