William Durgin had summed up the case fairly enough as it stood
between the Marble Workers' Association and Rowland Slocum. The
system of this branch of the trades-union kept trained workmen
comparatively scarce, and enabled them to command regular and even
advanced prices at periods when other trades were depressed. The
older hands looked upon a fresh apprentice in the yard with much the
same favor as workingmen of the era of Jacquard looked upon the
introduction of a new piece of machinery. Unless the apprentice had
exceptional tact, he underwent a rough novitiate. In any case he
served a term of social ostracism before he was admitted to full
comradeship. Mr. Slocum could easily have found openings each year
for a dozen learners, had the matter been under his control; but it
was not. "I am the master of each man individually," he declared,
"but collectively they are my master." So his business, instead of
naturally spreading and becoming a benefit to the many, was kept
carefully pruned down to the benefit of the few. He was often forced
to decline important contracts, the filling of which would have
resulted to the advantage of every person in the village.

Mr. Slocum recognized Richard at once, and listened kindly to his
story. It was Mr. Slocum's way to listen kindly to every one; but he
was impressed with Richard's intelligence and manner, and became
desirous, for several reasons, to assist him. In the first place,
there was room in the shops for another apprentice; experienced hands
were on jobs that could have been as well done by beginners; and, in
the second place, Mr. Slocum had an intuition that Lemuel Shackford
was not treating the lad fairly, though Richard had said nothing to
this effect. Now, Mr. Slocum and Mr. Shackford were just then at
swords' points.