The Washington herald., 1907-11-26
CHAPTER XVI.
The shndo,v cnst Before.

These summer days were, quite apart
from everything else ,his love for Vida in
cludedl. days of great anxiety for Vic
Morris. i was summer such as had
not often been seen in Kirktown. Day
after day. instead of ,he usual ApriIly
weather. varegated BY thunderstorms.
which usually passes for summer in Scot
land. the Kirktonians had basked IN the
glow Of en- almost tropical sun. The wag-
ors Of Incubus. Romer x Co. clucked
dumbly by the roadways along which
they had formerly clattered. up 10 the
inner side OF the felloe in dust
The children. at home from school, ran
barefoot and barelegged all the summer.
till the extraction of thorns and pieces OF
glass became an ordinary 1and unremu-
nerative) part of the duties OF Mr. VII
liam Stewart. A. P. 5. of the local Apoth-
ecaries' Hall.
In the pits down below, Of course, moth
ing was changed. Twice day. at morn
and eve. tired men rose To the surface,
and with white faces passed the word
rs 10 the condition Of the air and other
matters below. to the comrades who were
there waiting for the cage TO descend.
Vic had been able 10 move for a general
inquiry. through a labor member whom he
had known on the same bench as himself
az the City of London Technical School
But, with the best will in the world.
from a government point OF view. it was
difficult matter 10 appoint such a COM
mission directly. To do SO would be to
.~,,-,.- .h1{- ,,,.,, .f45~golo N~s,-errb bafape
filtering through some channel, there
came suggestion TO these gentlemen
that they had better arrange for day on
which to make a surprise visit to the In
cubus Coal and Iron Works
Whereupon, filtering through channels
yet more mysterious, the news also
reached Mr.. Walter Grinding and his
faithful cOworker, Mr.. Hector McKin
They held council together on what was
to be done. Mr.. Grinding taking high
ground.
Now. see here he said. emphasizing
his points with one clenched fist driven
noisely into the followed palm of the
other. "see here. McKill. this is not a
matter for the Odd Fellows Hail. nor
vet for the One Thousand. Three
Hundred, and Five and Thirty. This is
serious. 1 have got 10 see ii through
! There is no use troubling the chief-noy
| yet Mr.. Kahn-you understand. The chief
is too much OF a swell, too authoritative
also with such men. And, as "a foreigner
| Kahn is handicapped. He does not know
how 10 treat government officials. Now
] do. They are TO stop with me. mind
and IN some way or other | am TO be
/ indemnified for my trouble and X's-nOv
mind that-enter so much Gre as Of a
grade lower, perhaps-something Ike
that"
You know that I cannot conscien-
/ uously approve Of such proceedings
said Hector McKill
And you are not asked to- saic
/ Grinding. All you have 20 do is tC
/ keep your mouth shut, and stick yOW
/ initials in the corner of a sheet or two
! You know I have the welfare Of the con
cern too much at heart 10 spend penny
needlessly. 7 have never done IL in my
| life, You go elsewhere and farther with
your conscientious approval"
L know. Grindling-I know" said Hec
| tor McI[iIi touched almost 10 tears L
think that he had wrOnged his friend
/ For. strangely enough. these gentry haC
among themselves species of honor
! which Was not without d certain comfort