North and South

Margaret and Richard visit Higgins. He will not accept payment for Mary’s work. He is unemployed because of his union affiliation. Boucher once believed the union tyrannical but has recently sought work at Hamper’s, a union mill. Higgins blames Boucher for the failure of the strike. Margaret argues that by forcing Boucher to join the union, Higgins made him what he is. Boucher has been involved in mischief and is now missing. Margaret suggests the union is good in theory as it fights for justice. A crowd gathers outside following police officers carrying a body on a door. The men found Boucher’s body drowned in the creek. The implication is he died by suicide. Margaret offers to deliver the news to his wife. Mrs. Boucher is surrounded by children and the house is filthy and in disarray. When Margaret delivers the news, Mrs. Boucher denies it is possible. When she faints, several neighbors gather the children and take them off to be fed. When Mrs. Boucher recovers, someone brings her the baby who is clutching gifts from the neighbors. Before leaving, Margaret and Richard knock on Higgins’s door, but he says he wants to be alone.