The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-11-10

them, at least when they are not in the pit"
 Then tall young man approached walking with a certain air of authority, for whom the men made way with an appearance of respectful good will though indeed his nod was brusque enough in response
 "Ay, Master Morris, I will attend to the jobl l will that!' he heard man say as the new conner swung himself into the cage and crouched down among the others. And another, We shall have some air to breathe the nieht, along the working faces, since Vic Morris is going down.
 At that moment the doctors brother came out, talking rapidly to his second- in-command
 Nothing of the sort Kahn,' he was saying. That won't do for me. l con- duct my business openly. Nothing use less, of course. but a second exit we must have. Besides the government de- mands t-''
 And never looks for it-they will pass any ten-foot hole in the ground" laughed Kahn, but 1 will see to the matter inn mediately, sir. I admit that No. pit is far from safe and we have some costly plant down there"
 Besides some few men?' said Jacob Romer, sternly.
 "One hundred and four, sir,'' said Kahn, promptly, but you can leave all that to me. The pumping engine at the bottom wants new connections. at any rate! We can make one job of the two The master of the Incubus pits said something which his brother did not catch.
 "Oh, yes sir" said James Kahn. "a most respectable girl indeed-excellent daughter and all that, believe We have just promoted old Finnan Inspector of Ways in No. "a very steady old fellow, lighthouse keeper for many years, always to be depended upon. No, sir, I do not think you could find a better tenant for your Lodge Cottage. There is no work to be done as the gate is always open most suitable arrangement, sir, if l may say so.'
 The master of mines waved his hand as if to put the topic asde He asked brusquey for some figures as to the out put of the day. Whereupon Kahn in- stantly rained statistics. He had nat urally a good memory and knew that the way to improve t is to trust 1t and never keep a notebook. Jacob Romer listened, slowly nodding his head after each enumeration.
 Good, Kahn," he said, "that will do and now. if you please the reports from the 'smelting?'
 These also proved excellent Prices were rising in the market. Jacob Romer was satisfied, and showed it. whereupon his inferior made timid suggestion, the offer of his motor to convey his master and his masters guest back to Corn House.
 Not on any account said he. 'I should not risk my neck in one of these snorting abomnations. If 1 can't walk kahn, I take a good horse out of my stables, And my brother can do the same So long as he stays with me-
 Kahn had been looking steadily over Jacob Romer's shoulder as they talked He had been trying to make out the fig ure by the time-keeper's desk, as Doctor Tom from Thorsby watched the crowd of wan faces and sturdy bodies ebb and flow about the pit head. He liked to know everything. And now-this brother. His masters brother! little ugly devil of anger leaped up murderously in his breast Kahn scented rival favoritc He told himself indeed that fear was groundless. Who could do for Jacob Romer what he was doing? Ii was all nonsense about blood being thicker than water. He had always heard his master miscall his brother for d rascal-and, worse, a fool
 Still the thoughts of James Kahn were not entirely easy ones as he watched the two old men walk away arm in arm Because, deep in his heart, James Kahn had resolved that, by right or wrong. hook or crook, the Incubus mines Corn House, and the Romer millions should be his Who could better deserve the final result of hundred years of grinding the faces of the poor?
 James Kahn locked up carefully sum- moned his servant, leaped on the motor