The Washington times., 1905-08-27
CHAPTER VI.
Two Men Shake Hands.

Sleeny. though a Breadwinner in fun
standing. was not yet sufficiently i'm
pressed with the wrongs of labor TO
throw down his hammer and saw. He
continued his work upon Farnham's con-
servatory, under the direction of Fergus
Ferguson, the gardener. with the same
instructive fidelity which had always
characterized him. He had his intervals
Of right feeling and common sense, when
he reflected that Farnham had done him
no wrong. and probably intended no
wrong 10 Maud. and that he was not an
swerable for the Ill luck that met him
In his wooing. for Maud had refused
him before she ever saw Farnham But.
once in a while. and especially when he
was in company with Offitt, an access of
jealous fury would come upon him,
which found vent IN imprecations which
were none the less fervid for being slow
ly and haltingly uttered. The dark-skin-
ed. unwholesome-looking Breadwinner
found singular delight in tormenting
the powerful young fellow. He felt a
spontaneous hatred for him. for many
reasons. His shapely build. his curly
blond hair, and beard. his frank blue
eyes,. first attracted his envious notice;
his steady. contented industry. excited
whose daily life was a practical argu-
ment against the doctrines Of socialism,
by which Offtt made a part OF his pre-
carious livino: and after he had met
Maud Matchin and had felt, as such
natures will, the force of her beauty,
his instructive hate became an active,
though secret. hostility. She had come
one evening with Sleeny TO a spiritualist
conference frequented by Offtt. and had
ct once inferred that Sleeny and she
were either engaged to be married or on
the straight road toward Il. II would
be a PROCLAMATION OF the word to say that
he loved her at first sight. But his
scoundrel heart was completely captivat-
ed so far as was possible to man Of
his sort. He was filed and fired with a
keen cupidity Of desire to possess and
own such beauty anC grace. He rallied
against marriage, as he did against re-
ngion and order. as an invention of
priests and tyrants to enslave and de-
grade mankind; but he would gladly
have gone TO any altar whatever in
company with Maud Matchin. He could
hardly have said whether he loved or
hated her the more. He loved her much
as the hunter loves the fox he is chas-
ing 20 its death. He wanted 10 destroy
anything which kept her away from
him: her lover, IL she had one: her pride.
her modesty, her honor. II she were
fancy free. Aware of Sleeny's good
looks. If not OF his own ugliness, he hated
them both for the comeliness that SEEM
ed TO make them natural mates for each
other. But Il was not in his methods to-
proceed rashly with either. He treated
Maud with distant respect. and increas-
ed his intimacy with Sleeny until he
found. 70 his delight, that he was not
the prosperous lover that he feared But
he still had apprehensions that SIeeny
assiduity might at last prevail. and lost
no opportunity TO tighten the relations
between them. to poison and pervert TIC
man who was still a possible rival By
remaining his most intimate friend. he
could best be informed OF all thar oc-
CURED in the Match.n family
~ ~
One evening. as Sam was about leaving
his work. Fergus Ferguson said:
You'll not come here the morn.
You're wanted till the house-a bit C.
work in the library. They'll be teIlin' you
there"
This was faithfully reported by Sam
10 his confessor that same night.
Well. you are in luck. I wish had
your chance" said Offitt.
Sam opened his blue eyes in mute
wonder.
"WeIl. what's the chance. and what
would you do with II. ef you had it
Offtt hesitated n moment before re-
plying.
-'Oh I was just n jokjn' meant Il
was such an honor fo3 common folks
like us TO git inside Of the palace or a