Part 35 (2/2)
”What is to become of me?” she asks, despairingly. ”How am I to face the world? I have wealth; but will it restore my father?”
”Have faith, my dear, and you will find your troubles lightened.”
Martha prays with the late Magnate's daughter. They are on their knees in the sumptuous bed-room of Ethel's suite when a servant abruptly enters.
”O, Miss Purdy, run for your life,” cries the maid. ”The miners are coming to burn the house.”
Ethel utters a cry of terror.
”Leave the room!” sister Martha orders. And the frightened servant retires.
”Do not feel alarmed. I shall stay here and the miners will do you no injury. They love me and will obey me.”
Ethel clasps the hand of her defender and crouches at her feet. A knock at the door startles the two women. Sister Martha remains in possession of her faculties; Ethel swoons.
”Come in,” calls Sister Martha.
The butler enters.
”I have come to inform you that the miners are on their way to the house. They have sworn to sack it. What shall we do?”
”Who told you that the miners intend to come here?”
”I have just received the warning from the office; one of the clerks telephoned. He says the Superintendent is on his way here, but will probably be cut off.”
Fear has antic.i.p.ated the actual trend which events are to take. The miners are parading the streets but have not formulated any definite plan to attack the Purdy palace.
Superintendent Judson arrives and a.s.sumes charge of the house. He brings definite news of the intention of the miners. They are bent on claiming the body of Carl Metz to give it a public funeral. ”We shall never be able to prevent violence,” he declares.
”The police and the militia have been summoned; but it will be hours before they arrive.”
”If there was some one here who could pacify the mob until the troops come; there is no one they will heed.”
”Perhaps I can pacify them,” suggests Sister Martha.
”You can try,” says the Superintendent, scrutinizing her closely. ”You are known as the friend of the miners; they may respect your wishes.”
Inwardly he doubts her ability to check the mob; he feels, even, that she may meet with physical violence at their hands. Yet his nature is so small that he is eager to sacrifice her if it will keep the miners at bay for an hour.
”I shall try to keep them in the town,” Sister Martha a.s.sures him as she departs. On reaching the centre of the town Sister Martha meets some of the miner folk. A woman comes up to her and whispers:
”They have sent for the police. The work will be done before they get here.”
”What work?”
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