Part 11 (1/2)
Sheff resumed its normal placidity.
”Your life is too valuable, Pelham,” said his father's letter, ”to risk in direct contact with the white trash that gather when a strike is declared. Some of the men on the mountain are just as worthless and discontented. We know how to handle them here....
”You might visit Senator Todd Johnson when you pa.s.s through Was.h.i.+ngton.
He is a good man to keep in touch with.
”Mary and the two youngest got off to St. Simon's Island yesterday. The girls follow on Monday. That will leave us to keep the work up during the summer.
”The first report shows 291 tons from the Forty this month, and nearly as much from the other property. We're getting started slowly.
”I shall be glad when you get back and down to work.”
Pelham took the first train South, after commencement was over.
VIII
”Well, young man, ready to go to work?”
”This morning, father.”
Paul took up the extra slack in his belt. ”Oh, we won't rush you. You'd better take the first week off and visit the Barbours. They're getting pretty old, Pelham; they'll appreciate it.”
”All right, sir.”
Paul stopped to examine a badly-hung gate, sagging weakly away from its post. ”I'll fire that lazy Peter, if he doesn't 'tend to these hinges better. A cow could push through and eat up five hundred dollars' worth of shrubs before your mother caught on.... We'll have you meet some of the men.”
They came up behind a stubby, middle-aged Irishman, loudly ordering a group of white workers who were timbering the newest mine entrances.
”D'ye want the whole mountain to fall on you? Jam it under that slide rock, man.”
At the father's hail he turned genially. ”Mornin', Mr. Judson.”
”This is the son I was telling you about. Pelham, this is Tom Hewin, who keeps things moving in the mines.”
”Pleased to meet you, sir.” There was a servile hump to his shoulders; a deprecating instability in his glance greeted the boy. ”Hey, Jim.” A youth of Pelham's age, an uncertain smile dancing from his eyes, advanced from the overalled workers. ”This is my boy, sir. I'm learnin'
him to be a boss miner too.” Hewin's flattened thumb pointed to Pelham.
”Want me to put him to work, sir?”
”He'll report next Monday.”
Tom scratched a bristly head. ”They'll be plenty for you to do, sir.”
”How's that drain in Number 11, Tom?”
Pelham admired his father's vigorous handling of the varying questions.
His own opinion was asked about one matter, as they inspected the cut-ins of the ramp cleaving Crenshaw Hill. He backed up Hewin's solution; the facile superintendent promptly flattered the young man's grasp of the problem.