Part 21 (1/2)

”You came to warn me?”

”Yes.”

Firmstone stretched out his hand and took hers.

”I cannot tell you how much I thank you. But don't take this risk again.

You must not. I will be on my guard, and I'll look out for Zephyr, too.”

He laid his other hand on hers.

At the touch, elise looked up with hotly flaming cheeks, s.n.a.t.c.hing her hand from his clasp. Into his eyes her own darted. Then they softened and drooped. Her hand reached for his.

”I don't care. I can take care of myself. If I can't, it doesn't matter.” Her voice said more than words.

”If you are ever in trouble you will let me know?” Firmstone's hand crushed the little fingers in a tightening grasp.

”Zephyr will help me.”

Firmstone turned to go.

”I cannot express my thanks in words. In another way I can, and I will.”

CHAPTER XIV

_Blinded Eyes_

An old proverb advises us to be sure we are right, then go ahead. To the last part of the proverb Hartwell was paying diligent heed; the first, so far as he was concerned, he took for granted. Hartwell was carrying out energetically his declared intention of informing himself generally.

He was acc.u.mulating a vast fund of data on various subjects connected with the affairs of the Rainbow Company, and he was deriving great satisfaction from the contemplation of the quant.i.ty. The idea of a proper valuation of its quality never occurred to him. A caterpillar in action is a very vigorous insect; but by means of two short sticks judiciously s.h.i.+fted by a designing mind he can be made to work himself to a state of physical exhaustion, and yet remain precisely at the same point from whence he started.

Hartwell's idea was a fairly laudable one, being nothing more nor less than to get at both sides of the question at issue individually from each of the interested parties. Early and late he had visited the mine and mill. He had interviewed men and foremen impartially, and the amount of information which these simple sons of toil instilled into his receptive mind would have aroused the suspicions of a less self-centred man.

Of all the sources of information which Hartwell was vigorously exploiting, Luna, on the whole, was the most satisfactory. His guileless simplicity carried weight with Hartwell, and this weight was added to by a clumsy deference that a.s.sumed Hartwell's unquestioned superiority.

”You see, Mr. Hartwell, it's like this. There's no need me telling you; you can see it for yourself, better than I can tell it. But it's all right your asking me. You've come out here to size things up generally.”

Luna was not particularly slow in getting on to curves, as he expressed it. ”And so you are sizing me up a bit to see do I know my business and have my eyes open.” He tipped a knowing wink at Hartwell. Hartwell nodded, with an appreciative grin, but made no further reply. Luna went on:

”You see, it's like this, as I was saying. Us labouring men are sharp about some things. We have to be, or we would get done up at every turn.

We know when a boss knows his business and when he don't. But it don't make no difference whether he does or whether he don't, we have to stand in with him. We'd lose our jobs if we didn't. I'm not above learning from anyone. I ain't one as thinks he knows it all. I'm willing to learn. I'm an old mill man. Been twenty years in a mill--all my life, as you might say--and I'm learning all the time. Just the other day I got on to a new wrinkle. I was standing watching Tommy; he's battery man on Five. Tommy was hanging up his battery on account of a loose tappet.

Tommy he just hung up the stamp next the one with the loose tappet, and instead of measuring down, he just drove the tappet on a level with the other, and keyed her up, and had them dropping again inside of three minutes. I watched him, and when he'd started them, I up and says to Tommy, 'Tommy,' says I, 'I'm an old mill man, but that's a new one on me!' Tommy was as pleased as a boy with a pair of red-topped, copper-toed boots. It's too bad they don't make them kind any more; but then, they don't wear out as fast as the new kind. But, as I was saying, some bosses would have dropped on Tommy for that, and told him they didn't want no green men trying new capers.”

Luna paused and looked at Hartwell. Hartwell still beamed approbation, and, after casting about for a moment, Luna went on:

”You see, a boss don't know everything, even if he has been to college.

Most Eastern companies don't know anything. They send out a boss to superintend their work, and they get just what he tells them, and no more. None of the company men ever come out here to look for themselves.

I ain't blaming them in general. They don't know. Now it's truth I'm telling you. I'm an old mill man. Been in the business twenty years, as I was telling you, and your company's the first I ever knew sending a man out to find what's the matter, who knew his business, and wa'n't too big to speak to a common workman, and listen to his side of the story.”

It was a strong dose, but Hartwell swallowed it without a visible gulp.