Billy O'Neill seems to be a loyal and honest man.

At least that impression has always been made on Hawley during the time he spent with him.

No matter what, either you don't express an opinion, and even if you do, it's "uh-huh, good, good".

This left the blonde a little confused.

If that's the case, then why does the bearded keep staring at him like an enemy?

This is their second week in Stone Springs.

The situation was much more complicated than Hawley had previously thought.

The Knights of Labor had no branch in Wyoming, except for a simple liaison organization in the town of Stone Springs to grow membership in the mines.

In addition, there is also a local white group rooted in extreme anti-Chinese ideology in Stone Springs, called the "Rox Springs White Mutual Aid Association." ”

Strictly speaking, the organization is a branch of the "Ku Klux Klan" party.

The members of this group overlapped with the miners of the Knights of Labor, and some were members of gangs of unknown origin in the surrounding area.

Their leader, named Marvin Hayden.

The bell rang again at the Labor Knights' Hall at the entrance of the town.

This is a meeting to call a strike.

Hawley walked out of where he was staying.

A group of workers rushed from the direction of Well No. 6 to the entrance of the town, while another wave of workers came out of Well No. 3.

The men passed by the edge of the Chinese quarter, crossed the wooden bridge over the river, and walked towards the entrance of the town.

By the time Hawley and the crowd arrived at the Knights of Labor, it was crowded with people inside and out.

"Borrow light, please let me go."

He turned sideways and squeezed through the crack.

Several stools formed a circle, and several people who could speak sat facing each other on the waiting stools, and the others stood behind them.

O'Neill saw Hawley, smiled and waved at him, gesturing to an empty stool next to him.

"A strike is imperative and we are all ready."

A miner with a gray beard is speaking.

He was the interim head of the Knights of Labor in Stonesprings, named Thomas Hanks.

He looked at O'Neill:

"I don't know when the preparations for the headquarters will start."

"Anytime." O'Neill said, with a polite smile on his face.

"Eh, no, strikes are only effective if they form a linkage, and unity is our weapon." Hanks was a little agitated.

"yes, yes, that's good."

O'Neill nodded, supporting Hanks' claim.

"You also know that unity and linkage are effective, right?"

A strong man sitting on a stool next to him suddenly spoke.

The brawny man had curly hair in a blonde shawl, but the color of his hair was more brown because of the soot stained.

He clasped his hands to his chest and looked at Hanks coldly.

The white miners in Stone Springs were predominantly of Irish and Swedish descent.

This is the leader of the Swedish workers, Larsen.

"What's the use of just our strike, people turn around and hire those Chinese workers, cheap and obedient."

He said in a weird way.

O'Neill turned his head to look at him and nodded:

"Well, that's good."

"What can I do? The government's orders have already been issued, but they don't want to go, so why don't I ask them if they want to strike together? ”

Hanks spread his hands.

"Although they don't like to talk, they're not bad people, and we've been working together in the same mine for a long time."

"Hmph, if you want me to say, just let them get out! I've had enough of these thieves! Larson said angrily.

"But there are more of them than us, how can we let them go? Fighting in groups? "Hanks is in a head-to-head fight.

While the two were still arguing, O'Neill had already looked at Malvin Hayden, who was sitting on the side.

The man was picking his nostrils and didn't seem interested in the discussion between the two union members.

"What do you think? Mr. Hayden? O'Neill asked with a smile.

Hayden rolled the dirt out of his nostrils into a ball and bounced it out.

He stood up lazily:

"If you want me to say, you're all soft eggs."

"What did you say?"

"Say it again!"

Hayden's words caused a lot of repercussions in the lobby, and everyone was enraged by his provocation and scolded one after another.

"I say! You guys! Both! Soft eggs! Hayden glanced at Hanks contemptuously, "You're actually afraid of these Chinese?" ”

"What about a lot of people?"

He ripped off his coat and revealed the revolver at his waist, a proud expression.

"You guys with guns are afraid of those unarmed yellow mules? Well? ”

Hayden's little finger, which had just picked out his nostrils, now had his ears pierced again.

"Those people, when they heard the gunshots, ran faster than rabbits."

"But they'll come back if they run away." "Pacific will also hire Chinese workers from other places," Hanks asked. ”

"Then, kill them!"

"Burn down their houses, make those Chinese workers homeless, let them bring their fear to other people, and make this place a hell for Chinese workers."

O'Neill still had a smile on his face, but he was saying cruel words.

Holey never imagined that such words would come out of the mouth of O'Neill, who seemed harmless to humans and animals.

"I don't know how many of you lived through the Negros Street incident in Los Angeles more than a decade ago and the San Francisco incident eight years ago."

O'Neill also stood up and looked around at the crowd.

"I've been there."

"At that time, we faced the same threat that Stone Springs is facing now!"

"Those damn Chinese workers are in cahoots with the bosses to take our jobs!"

"We resisted! We did it! ”

"No matter how many Chinese workers there are, it's useless! They are silent, just like those grazing animals, as soon as you shoot, 'bang'! They'll panic and run around. ”

O'Neill crooked the corners of his mouth, which made the smile on his face look unusually hideous.

"They are scattered, and there is nothing to fear."

"Brothers, pick up your guns! Kill them! Let them completely disappear from the town of Stone Springs, only in this way can our strike be effective. ”

O'Neill shook his fist.

Larson and Hayden followed closely behind and raised their arms and shouted, and the Knights' Hall was full of excitement for a while, whistles! The shouts were loud and rang out.

Hanks opened his mouth, but still didn't say anything.

Hawley looked at these people around him, in a trance.

They all seemed to be crazy, as if they all had a bitter enmity with the Chinese workers.

Even in the morning, they worked together in the mines, pushing the minecarts out of the mines.

O'Neal then began to plan specific times and plans for the attack.

He wasn't at all worried that the Chinese workers across the river knew about these things.

What if you do?

Will anyone come to their aid?

And on the other side of the river, Mine No. 3.

The wooden door of the coal mine manager's office was pushed open with a "bang".

The mine overseer barged in, looking embarrassed:

"Manager, those white workers are running away again."

The manager was reading the newspaper and, when he heard this, immediately got up from his chair.

"Ran away? Striked? He cupped his eyes and asked eagerly.

"I don't know, a group of people seem to have gone to the town for a meeting en masse, not only the No. 3 well, but also the people from the No. 6 well, don't believe it, manager!"

The overseer walked over to the door and pointed in the direction of the town's entrance.

The coal mine manager hurried out the door.

The chalet that serves as an office is on a small hillside, and from the door, you can clearly see the situation at the entrance of the town.

There, in the direction of the Laborers' Knights' Hall, inside and outside the house, a large number of people gathered.

"Damn the union." The manager crossed his waist and cursed, but he was helpless.

"Riley, Mr. Riley, may I ask if it is convenient to speak now?"

A sentence of not very standard English came from behind the manager.

The manager turned his head and saw that it was a Chinese worker, standing there respectfully, hesitating.

"Damn, are you going to go on strike with them too?" Riley pointed in the direction of the town entrance and shouted at the Chinese workers.

"Well, no, sir, our workers are in their own posts." Hua Gong replied cautiously.

"Oh, tell me, what's the matter with you?" The manager's tone became a little kinder.

"Riley, Mr. Riley, you know, these white workers, must be doing something about us." Hua Gong looked at the manager with a blank eye, "Me and my people are in a very dangerous situation. ”

Riley rolled his eyes and walked over to Hua Gong's side, his hand on his shoulder:

"Liao, don't worry, the company will take care of these things." He comforted, "It's going to be fine, you can go back to your post quickly." ”

The Chinese worker named Liao Dabai saw that Riley's tone was so determined, and all the words he wanted to say were swallowed into his stomach.

"The manager said that the company would solve it, and the company would definitely solve it, what are you doing here?" The overseer waved at him impatiently.

Liao Dabai had no choice but to turn around and walk down the hill.

"What do we do now?"

After Liao Dabai's figure disappeared, the overseer asked.

"How the fuck do I know what to do? Do you want to be beaten to death by those white workers? ”

Riley glared at the overseer in disgust.

He sighed.

"After the matter is over, we will find a way to report to the headquarters and see what they can do."

(End of chapter)