Evening star., 1897-03-27

VIII you come home with me. father?
mo. my dear. 1 shouldn't have let you
cCme all this distance merely to hear what
We both knew this morning. Run along
home like q good little girl, and don't sit
up for me tonight. I'll be late. OF course,
in spite of my sco!ding, I'll stay ill the last
dogs hung. I'll see the thing through and
wave the white flag myself. 1t Wouid1 be
quite the thing, you know, to have all the
fun of the fight and then funk the submis-
siCn. l merely came into this room because
you were due at i, and to rest my nerves a
bit. I'm going back to the directors and
will write the letter of surrender myself;
for they will never summon up courage
enough 10 do even that if l am not at their
elbows. I'm going down with the snip,
my girl pretending 1 like it; so off you Co.
Edna and We'll feel all right about it next
week-perhapS.
Haggard he looked the night before
Edna now noticed, with thrill of fear,
that for the first time he seemed old
man. His usually well-set shoulders were
bent. and even his neatly fitting clothes
hung loosely about him. The hesitation and
the tone in which he said the last word,
perhaps" showed her like an electric flash
what was in his own mind and what had
never occurred to her before-that when he
was suddenly wrenched away from the task
. that had been his life's work, he would
break up in idleness like a useless hulk on
the rocks.
Father" she cried don't let them send
that letter till tomorrow. A day more or
it back if you ask them to-
Sartwell shook his head.
There is use in delay" he said. 'It
has always been my habit to do quickly
what had to be done, and l am getting too
old to change my habits. If you must walk
the plank, walk it. and get it over
Inc girl did not urge him further, but
kissed him and said Good night" He saw
to drive to Waterloo. At the first turning
Edna pushed up the little trap door i'll the
roof of the cab
DO you know where the headquarters of
the strikers are?" she asked.
''Ye:, miss. At the Salvation Hail. miss"
We'll, drive me there quickly as you
can"
The cabby turned his horse, and in
sfort time was making MS way through the
crowd of men who were gathering from all
QI aTters to the meeting
He drew up at the curb in front Of the
hall. Edna stepped out. flushing as she
saw the men looking curiousy at her. She
said to one:
Where find Mr. Marsten?
He's IN his room at the back of the all,
ma am This wye, ma'am. I'll show you
the door"
Edna followed the man down the long.
harrow passage at the side of the hall.
For Gods sake. mates. what's the mean
Ing of this?' cried Gibbons in amazement,
taking his pipe out of his mouth
some OF the men laughed. but Gibbons
looked serious. and they that there was
more In the incident than appeared on the
surface.
"Who is it she wants to see?, cried Glib
bons, as the man appeared who had led
the girl down the passage.
she arsked for Marsten. She's in with
him row.
Look here, mates" cried Gibbons
What have l ben telling you? We're sold
or m Dutchman! That girl is SartweIl's
daughter. and I'll warrant she has come
direct from him. / say cabby, did Won
drive that young lady here from the
works ~
What's that to you? You're not paving
my fare, answered the cabman with
| characteristic disregard OF the threatening
| crowd.
said one of the men
Let's get inside and call this meeting to
| order" cried Gibbons. decisively.
| Chapter XXXVII,
Edna raped lightly on the door at the
back OF the Salvation Hall. and heard Mar
| stem s voice shout Come in" After a mo-
| ment's hesitation. she opened the door and
| entered. The young man was alone Sit
! ting at the rough board table, with some
| papers before him, writing rapidly with a
i pencil. He seemed absorbed in his work.
| and kept his head bent over it, saving
| shortly:
| We'll. what is it,"
Edna stood with her back against the
| door; she tried to speak, but could not
! Her heart was beating so rapidly that IL
| seemed to choke her. and her lips were tiry
The murmur of numerous voices came
through the thin board partitions from the
main hall. with the noise of the shuffline
of many feet. Marsten continued to write
quickly; then suddenly he lifted his head
with jerk, stared increduously in The
! gathering darkness. and sprang to his feet
My God-Ednar' he cried and seemed
about to advance toward her; but she rails
ed her hand. and he stood by the table with
his knuckles resting upon it.
Il came She spoke in Whisper SC
husky and unnatural that 1t seemed to hel
the voice belonged to some one else %
came-to speak to you-about the strike
1T must stop"
1T will stop within day or two. Monk
ton & Hope are defeated"
You mean that my father is defea ted
1t is killing him. 1 can see that. although
he tries He does not know / have come
here. / came of my own accord because
you If you will get the men to go back
1 give you my word that he will grant al
you are fighting for All ask is that 30,
will not make 1t hard for him. The mer
do not care as long as they get what they
want. Will you do this?"
DO you mean that 1 am to call this
strike off and pretend that the men are de
feated?'
Yes. 1t will be all the same In tn,
end
L
why? The men do not care as long a!
they get what they ask. With my fathe
1t Is different. He is breaking down.
| know l am asking great deal of you fo
you feel as he does, and want to win a.
badly he does: but he Is old. and you ar
young. You have all the world before you
What need you care. then, whether yol
win this strike or not? There are othe
strikes for you 10 win, but he-he is fight
ing his last battle
r Her voice had become clearer and mof
like itself as she earnestly pleaded for he
father. Some one in the main building ha
e started a rollicking music hall song the
as infectious as an epidemic on the street
e of London. The whole house had Joined 1
the swinging chorus. beating time with tn
0 tramp of many feet. Neither Of the tw
appeared to hear the song. but both raise
!. their voices slightly to make themseIve
e | heard above the sound.
9 Il care nothing for any personal trump
r | nothing at ALL" said Marsten IF
a could change places with your father an
s accept defeat for him / willingly woule
a But the men have trusted me"
:: The men.' cried Edna, the scarlet cha.
u ing the whiteness from her cheeks as he
eyes flashed and her voice rose. What d
y the men care? Listen to them" She wave
. her hand toward the hall. They woul
s. sing and shout like that IL their best frien
e was dying. Who has done more for II
may NV fot Ia ric -, o.