Part 16 (1/2)

”We have come for an answer to the request we handed you,” he said.

Eshelby glanced at him coldly. ”You are a free miner? What is the name on your certificate?”

”Sewell,” said the other. ”You may, perhaps, have heard of it?”

Slavin started a little, and then smiled to himself, for there was, at least, no sign in the Recorder's face that he attached any particular significance to the announcement.

”Well,” he said, ”I have, as I promised, glanced at what you are pleased to term your request, though it bears a somewhat unfortunate resemblance to a demand.”

”We're not going to worry 'bout what you call it,” said the man who had not spoken yet. ”We have come here so you can tell us what you mean to do.”

Eshelby smiled a little, though it would have been wiser if he had refrained from it.

”Personally,” he said, ”I can do nothing whatever.”

There was a low murmur with an unpleasant note in it from the rest of the deputation. The curt _non possumus_ is usually the last resource of the diplomatist when argument has failed, and it very seldom makes for peace, as everybody knows. Slavin wondered why the Crown authorities should have inflicted upon him such a man as Eshelby when his burden was already sufficiently heavy.

”Well,” said the miner grimly, ”something has got to be done. We let you know what we wanted. Haven't you anything to say?”

”Only that I shall send your pet.i.tion to the proper quarter.”

”I wonder,” said Sewell drily, ”if you would tell us what is likely to be done with it there?”

”It will receive attention when the department is at liberty to consider it.”

Sewell laughed. ”Presumably at any time during the next two years! Can you guarantee that it will not be neatly docketed and put away for ever?”

”And,” said one of the men who stood behind, ”we may be dead by then.

How're we going to worry through when the snow comes and it's going to cost a fortune to get provisions in when the Crown takes the big share of what most of us make?”

Eshelby did not even look at the last speaker as he answered Sewell.

”I certainly can't guarantee anything,” he said.

There was a little murmur from the men, but Sewell raised his hand restrainingly. ”We had,” he said, with a quietness which had, nevertheless, a suggestion of irony in it, ”the honour of pointing out to you some of our difficulties and suggesting how they could be obviated. We may now take it that you can give us no a.s.surance that the matter will even receive the attention we, at least, think necessary?”

”I am,” said Eshelby, ”not in a position to promise you anything. The pet.i.tion will be submitted to men qualified to deal with it.”

”With a recommendation that as the matter is urgent it should be looked into?”

Eshelby straightened himself a trifle. ”My views will be explained to those in authority. I do not recognize any necessity for laying them before you.”

The rest of the deputation had drawn a little closer to Sewell, and Slavin was watching their faces intently. He felt that unless they had confidence in their leader, and he was endued with all the qualities necessary for the part, there was trouble on hand. Sewell, who made a little forceful gesture as he glanced at the rest, was, however, apparently still master of the situation.

”Then,” he said, ”there is in the meanwhile nothing you can suggest?”

”I fancied you understood that already,” said Eshelby. ”If those whose business it is think fit to modify the regulations you complain of I will let you know. Unless that happens they will be adhered to as usual, rigorously.”

His coldly even voice was in itself an aggravation, and Slavin, who saw one of the deputation move forward with a little glow in his eyes, rose sharply to his feet. He, however, sat down again next moment with a smile, for Sewell quietly laid his hand upon the man's arm, and the rest stood still in obedience to his gesture. Slavin was not astonished, for he, too, was a man who understood how to wield authority.

”Then,” said Sewell, ”we need not waste any more of your time. We have heard nothing that we did not expect, boys, and now we at least know where we stand.”

He turned once more to Eshelby, raising his wide hat, and then moved back into the shadow of the pines, taking care, as Slavin noticed, that the others, who did not seem greatly desirous of doing so, went on in front of him. The Recorder glanced at Slavin complacently when they disappeared.