The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-12-01
CHAPTER XIII. Wooers at Glebe End.

 Bryan at old Dicks cottage had ample opportunity for making such comparisons she might wish, with the stalwart figure and ready speech of MT. Ludovic Marrls, underground engineer. for standard.
 Vic Morris had dropped into the habit of going there frequently, nay regularly which is to say, every night. It LOOK an appreciable part of his dark hours down in the Dock, or those which he spent in the little boarded office above, to eoncoct the necessary excuses. But Vic was never at q loss. Besides. now that Dick was Inspector of the Ways Tn No. Pit, he had become in a manner underground engineers assistant. VIC needed to consult him quite frequently and young fellow like Vic could not eX- pect an old man to be running after nm all over the place, when he had just got home from a hard days work. So Vie Morris called on him. which, as any one can see. simplifed things very much. Now kindness to the old Is, according to Confucius, the pearl of all youthful Vir- tues Vic Morris found it so. He did not in the least regret being kind to old DICK Finnan. and any fairly careful detective could have found his deeply indenteu footsteps all the year round in the neigh borhood of Glebe End cottage.
 As for Vida she could not tell whether she liked him or not He was different from the others-that was all.
 "Sometmes" she confided to her chief est friend. Rose Nunsby. "I think l like him. And then again I am quite certain that I don'tn'
 In truth, the two quarrelled abominably. And that, according to all the authorities, was a good sign-for the hopes of MT. Vic Morris. For it is not written that: Nippin' an scartin'
 Are Ccots folks wooin!
 But Vic Morris himself drew no cot- clusions. His strong, cumulative, even trampling nature. his genius in the con- duct of men. the dauntless courage which led him always to hunt for the most diff ficult way of ascending mountain, pre- vented him from feeling the least em- barrassment in Vidas presence, or the least doubt about the issue-so soon, that is. as he had made up his mind to speak.
 Now, with a girl like Vida Bryan-as proud and elf-opinionated as Vic Moi ris himself. with a feminine sensitiveness altogether unguessed at by the man, thls was a most unsafe course to pursue. With gihls accustomed to obey, it might have proved more successful. But, as a gen eral rule. a man, even when he knows himself to be the stronger. and certain that the victory lies with him, ought to pass the honors over to the woman. Men do not now kneel tremendously and offer
 
 ell-advised find that this is still the right moral attitude. It pays the man because it elevates woman in her own estimation. And, if you do that suffi- cicntly and continuously, there are but few things she will deny you. Which are the precepts of the grandfather of Si- rach the man of great diligence in gath ering together all grave sentiments l Give, therefore. as much heed young | haI lxrad in or l King Euergetes. in the eighth -and-thir- 1 teth year of that never to- e-forgotten monarchs reign.
 So each night. in sweet. gray, spring 1 gloamings, tinted tenderly lilac between the black branches of trees on which the l green buds were doubtfully forming, in wintry "forenichts." blithe with the com- ing-and-going of lovers betwixt hamlet 1 and hamlet. the snow crisp underfoot, and the stars corruscatng overhead, prompt to the moment Vic Morris ap- peared at Dick Finnans gate. swung 1t back, tramped up the short gravel path, | and knocked.
 Generally it was Dick himself who came to the door. Every two or three months (according to the leave granted by the Commissioners of Northern Lights) it was a certain Mir William Bryan, senior keeper of the Wolf Skerry Lighthouse | and, as it were, a member of Vic Morris | own profession. 1 But lit was never Vida who opened. 1 And the young man searched in hls l mind for the reason annexed to this fact. 1 He ascertained that she opened to other l people. Why not. then. to him? His as surance found the soluton-one agreeable to his vanity. Yet Ludovic Morris was not vain He cared neither for his ap- pearance nor for the effect it might pro- duce. But. on the other hand. his self assurance was monumental. and the fear of man was not in him. Which is a good thing. doubtless. But. then, neither was the fear of Woman-which Is thing in- fnitely i'll.
 Vic Morris was strong man. His in- huence over the pit workers was re- markable. He had no trouble with them. No tools or pieces of coal fell from a height on his head. Already he had averted more than one strike. But--he was an advanced politician. The Con fidential" Kahn, and the general man. agers. Hector McKill and Walter Grind ling, never felt quite at home with him. Somehow they knew that he belonged by sympathy to the toers. His sympathes were entirely with the forecastle. The afterguard, according to him. could al- ways take care of itself.
 Too brilliant at his work of estimating distances, directing new dips and shafts,
 
 sonel of the Incubus workings eyed him with distrust. Yet, In spite of the respect, and even devotion, the men had for him, Vic Morris awakened no great or enthu- siastic love among them. He was just man. He was on their side What a leader he would make if with all that he knew and all that he could do. he were fully to cast in his lot with them,
 But he neither attracted nor permitted any display of affection or admiration on the part of those under him. He would have regarded it q breach of discipline. Still the fact that he went nightly to see "Dick Finnan's Lass seemed to bring them nearer For Dick worked alongside them, and was one of themselves. None doubted of the issue. Was he not Master Vic. who knew all there was to be known, and whom they would have followed to the death.
 It chanced late one afternoon in April, a rainy April, when the trees dripped droopily on the dank turf swelling it up with water like sponge. and only the pine needles. pressed. close in solid forty year layers. afforded a safe and dry pass age to the cottage at Glebe End, that Vic Morris and Philip Calmont met there for the first time
 Hitherto Phil had been to the successful young engineer only 'one of the doctors s good-for -nothings." Vic Morris had a thorough-going contempt for all kinds of talent which could not be practically ap- piled He was fond of saying that brains could be expressed either in foot pounds or pounds sterling, by which he meant either in work done or money earned. It is no wonder. then, that to his sole friend MT. Irongray of the Kirk