Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-08
BY
W. B. MAXWELL,
Author OF
"THE GUARDED FLAME"

PoSSAi
on his forehead. with bandaged hand
and arm in sing, summoned for assault
| of Frederick Hoyle, brewers carman, ana
| looking for al the world like a common
seemed trying to squeeze in to get peep
at him: the court was so crowded that
one could hardly breathe. Sir John Vim
cent, bart. left the bench while this case
seen the like of it. When the defendants
conduct was pardoned because of the
/ provocation received, there were few
faint cheers amid the loud Kisses. They
Kissed the poor clerk. because they hated
| his employer.
| They hated him as an open and avowed
enemy of their once peaceful town. He
| was full of resolution, and quite without
| fear He fatty refused to pay for police
! protection; no shaking of fists or shouts
or threats turned him an inch from his
| path; he was a hedgehog that kept bris-
ties ready for any dog who should dare to
! tackle him. But, in sober truth ealing
had now run so high that it was scarce
| safe for him to walk abb DAD unless his
| clerk walked with him.
Crunden's clerk was Mr.. Jack Vincent
! and no one else. The son of Sir John
| had gone over to the enemy. 1t was
strange transfer of allegiance, wonder
! full voluntary fall from the top of the
social ladder to its lowest rung one day.
the leader of fashion, lord and prince
| among splendid loafers, and the next
humble worker. paid servant OF common
| Workingman. He lived in a workman S
! cottage, as ledger of Mrs. Gates, close to
| Crunden'S yard. You could see him In
! the yard any morning, with an invoice In
| his hand, experimenting and checking the
| delivery of materials: or again at evening
! in the small office just inside the arch
way. busy with time sheets while brick
! layers, carpenters, etc, came In and out
| through the open door. And all day long
| you might see him hurrying here and
| fn railway
! to watch trucks unloaded. down to the
| brickfields by the river. back again to the
| estate to count the piled bricks or meas
| ure up the lengths of drain pipes-in a
word. working at one thing or another.
| 1t was said that he went on all errands
| for Crunden, cleaned the knives and boots
at Kings cottage; and, in return for
| these degrading services, was allowed
perhaps 10 shillings week, and the run
of his teeth in the kitchen with Mrs.
| Price.
But here. as usual gossip was inexact.
Mr.. Jack was called upon to perform no
mental domestic offices; he was receiving
a weekly wage of thirtyfive shillings; he
| took his meals-dinner and tea-with the
family, and was moreover sometimes for
maly invited to supper.
When, keeping the grudgingly given
appointment. he had repeated his applica--
| ton for work, old Crunden manifested
the strongest Discrimination to comply
with the request, made many excuses,
was obviously much embarrassed
Look here, sir. I'd rather not.
AS to that loan you mentioned-don't
bother about it. There's no hurry. Take
any time you like
| But I do bother about it, said Jack.
Il want to pay you-and l will, If you'll
take me on. I promise you won't regret
it. Give me work to do-and I'll do it.,
whatever it is. 1 promise I'll be useful"
Don't press me, sir. I tell you frank.
I'd rather not
Because you don't believe in me-" said
Jack, eagerly. and pressing more than
ever You think I'm an idle fool-but I'll
show you're wrong if you'll give me a
| chance" and again Jack used the Ma
sonic form Of address: Brother Crun-
| den, give me chance"
| Brother Crunden, extremely embar-
raised, said he would think 1t over and
| Brother Vincent might call again. He
discussed the extraordinary request first
with Mr.. Bowling. and then with Lizzie.
HE says he can make himself useful.
How the dickens could he be useful?'
| 'Useful!' cried MIR. Bowling, with en-
thusiasm. Hell be worth his weight in
! gold. Give him anything he asks. but
get hold of him. Don't you see-having
! him on our side-merely to exhibit him,
let people know he's with us-will be
worth any money. He's the very man to
help us-to act as go-between, smooth
things over. and cure all the soreness
against u.s.
| In this notion, as events proved, Mr.
| Bowling was far too hopeful But at the
| time he was confident that if Mr.. Vincent
] publicly joined hands with them, their
| present disfavor with the community
would soon blow over.
| Then, after a day or two, Crundep spoke
about the matter to his daughter. Lizzie s
| thought now was only for her father. He
| had embarked on a vast and dangerous
enterprise; his whole fortune was at
stake; toll and anxiety lay before him.
When she heard his unfortunate out
| break at the meeting. guilt and remorse
| possessed her. More bitterly than hither-
to she hated herself for the childish folly
| that had been the first cause .of all his
| subsequent action. The folly had faded,
| been washed away with tears burnt out
| by hotly repentant thoughts-all of It,
| she believed, was gone from her; but it's
| wfde-reaching consequences remained If
she had not stung her father into anger
against the Hill, he would never have
| planned its destruction. She was sure of
this, although he told her always that
fshe was in no manner connected with the
| reasons that had moved him.
| Nonsense, Liz. 1 never thought of all
that again. 1t was over and done with
something we both meant to forget. No,
| this scheme was in my mind from the
moment Mr.. Bowling. put it before me-
| Then, while you were in Cornwall, I
went into it and began to see my way
| clear If l kept it a secret from YOU il
was only because knew you'd be against
| IT. But nothing could have shaken me-
You remember what told you-that per-
| hapS l should need all your help. Well
my mind was almost made up then
| And Lfzzie-cured of her day dreaming
vowed herself to good daughters task
Il shall need" said Crunden "all the
| help l can get from you and others It's
i a big thing-a very big thing I'm in for.
| But it's not too big-don't let any one per-
suade you that it's more than can carry
| through"
| And then he told her about Jack Vim
| cents pressing request.
| Mr.. Bowling he says he'll be worth his
| pay-and OF course there's no doubt of Sir
Johns upset-and Mr.. Vincent, he has
made his appeal to me very strong. Well,
he's made it on reasons that lie between
| him and me-that are not businessman
| that don't think ne should have brought
I into 1t. But now, my dear, give me true
answer. VIII it make any difference to
your"
Lizzie said firmly that it could not make
the smallest difference to her.
Quite sure? OF course, you won't have
to take any notice of him. I'm getting rid
and hope to have his mess and filth
cleaned away and the yard ready to open
by end of next week; and it's at the yard
1 shall mostly keep Mr.. Vincent. But 1
won't do ii. unless you can say honestly
| that l shan't be doing wrong"
And Lizzie, only thinking of what was
| good for her father, said he would do
right, not wrong in adopting Mr.. Dow
lings advice and employing Mr. Vincent
I've thought 1t over. SIR" said Crunden
to Jack when he presented himself again