The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1905-03-02
CHAPTER VIII.


but fancy the story loses something
in your telling"
Mr.. Harlan held cigarette over the
candle as he spoke, rolling It in his
fingers until 1t lighted. Then he in
hailed a deep breath of smoke, and
smiled pleasantly at Kennard across
the small dinner-table.
mo, | assure you there's nothing
more to It,"
But you forget my daughter has
told her version and I don't think
well, I don't think she's hysterical."
"No one who saw her helping Gull
yer and those other poor fellows could
possibly think SO. She overestimates
the difficulty of doing what was done;
that is ALL"
But II cost you three weeks in the
hospital
THAT was imprudcnce in not talk
ing proper care of myself at once"
Mr.. Harlan laughed.
You modest men are incorrigible.
| give you up. But how are the fell
lows who were not imprudent get
ting along?"
Barton is out on crutchcs, but
Miles and Culver are still in the hos
pital. They were both hit by bits of
iron when the valve burst, besides
being badly scalded. They won't be
able to work for many q day"
Mr.. Harlan blew slender thread of
smoke under the red silk candle-shade,
] nnH g,,ll ha
draught rapidly sucked It through the
opening in blush cloud.
What do you do in such cases?"
he asked musingly.
What do | do in what cases?"
When employees are injured"
I'VE look after them as best we
can. They're given such work as they
can do. or II they're incapacitated, we
pension them"
''Even when the accidents their own
fault?"
"Yes. II mans hurt through his
own carelessness, the injury is punish
ment enough. Don't you think so? We
never forget he was doing or trying
to do our work."
"YCu must have nice army of Grip
pies on your rolls" laughed Harlan.
mo, very few. Men don't purposely
injure themselves--at least not the
kind we employ"
Then suppose you never have law
suits brought against you for dam
ages"
Sometimes we do. There are always
men who don't know when they're well
treated and think they'd rather trust
the courts. We had very sad case Of
the kind not long ago"
Mr.. Harlan raised a glass of port to
the hight and carefully studied it's color.
yours is an editorial 'we,' isn't IT."
The question was asked abstractedly.
81 suppose so; it's habit, anyway"
II mean you have no partners.
Not now"
Mr.. Harlan's inspection of his wine
ceased He raised the glass to his lips
and drained it.
"Kennard," he said, as he wiped his
mouth, "the good Book says 1t is not
well for man to live alone. Neither
is 1t good for him to work alone. Have
you heard of the Harkness syndicate?"
Kennard laughed.
Hardness e. Co.'S combine? OF
course, but I didn't know II had at
tanned the dignity Of syndicate"
~ think it has. Hardness has
spoken to you about it?"
Eyes. Funny little man. Do you
now him?"
Mr.. Harlan glanced sharply at his
guests face, but read only inquiry in
the keen gray eyes.
"Know him." he repeated lightly.
ooh, yes, know Mr.. Harkness well,
although" he added, this is the first
time we've done business together"
Kennard stared at his host and
found himself under close scrutiny.
YES"
The monosyllable was neither in
quiry nor comment. It was blend Of
both in an invitation to continue. Mr..
Harlan accepted 1t as such, and gavs
no indication of having expected sur
prise.
What do you think Of his scheme?"
|
The pause had been sufficient to put
the men at their ease, but in at sec
ond both had been transformer. II was
no longer Mr.. John Kennard, as guest,
and Mr.. Joshua Harlan as host, who
were dining together at the Nantick
Club. It was John Kennard's son talk
ing business with Harlan--promoter
Kennard knew It instinctively.
Kennard smiled as though at some
passing Renaissance before he an
swered his hosts question.
II don't know" he began slowly
81 don't know that fully understand
what the little mans idea is. re-
member he came to me one day and
said something about a common un-
derstanding' or trade agreement and
spoke about getting together on prac-
tical lines or some such vague talk,
but really didn't pay much attention
to IT. thought it-well, I didn't take
it very seriously. But perhaps ought
not to say that, since you're interested
in it,"
II don't wonder that you thought
Harkness somewhat comic in the role
Of leader" agreed Mr.. Harlan. "He is,
Of course, only figure-head. Better
known names might court too much
publicity" he added Significantly.
"I see." replied Kennard, graveiy
"huf 7 had m idoo wv, xwaro couuoctn a