The Yale expositor., 1914-09-03


furnace, felt it's consuming breath, lis
tened to the mills strident voice
Through every sense he caught their
menace; his spirit covered before ii.
But he who had come SO near to fall
Ing could know the bitterness OF him
through whose fall advancement would
come.
MOI" he snarled in savage con-
tempt for himself and his hollow high
indignation. You can tell him I'm a
beast like all the rest"
He was on the night turn then. In
the morning he went reluctantly to
Romans house. At breakfast he was
alone with Kazia- But there was no
love-making that morning. Nor did he
explain that he was to supersede her
uncle at the furnace.
"How's Roman" he asked with an
added inward twinge.
He's not much better" she sighed
We're worried about him. He frets
because he thinks he might lose his
job"
He said nothing.
DO you think he WIFI"
Yes" He made shift to raise his
eyes to hers. II think he will"
Just because he's sick. Oh. surely
mott"
Because he's used up. And when
you're used up, you've got to get out
to make room for better-for those
that can still be useful"
"Oh, that would break his heart
How | hate those mills" she cried.
But don't tell him you think that"
NO" His eyes fell II won't tell
him. He'll find out soon enough"
Roman did not go back to work
until his shift was on day turn again.
Some presentiment of the impending
calamity must have come to him, for
as he and Mark set out for the mills
that morning the irritability that had
marked him since his first collapse
gave way to a deep detection.
1t was not until they were entering
the mill shed that Mark said: Roman,
| think Gracey wants to see you"
He tried to make it very gentle.
'Zo?" Roman halted, looked in.
tently at Mark. He drew a long whis-
Ting breath. "Zo!" He understood
But his presentiment had not told him
how deep the hurt would be.
He tried to look the man he had
been. But his tired lack-luster eyes
belied the stifIly martial shoulders
and firm step He went straight to the
foreman.
Mine chop" he asked steadily.
You will take it away?
Pm afraid we'll have to let you go,
Roman"
Unit wy" There was no complaint.
You're laying off too much" the
foreman answered bluntly. And you're
getting careless in your work. You've
lost your grip"
II haf been zick. Meppy," Roman
made an effort to speak the confidence
he did mot feel. "meppy I'll get better"
Il hope so. You've been a good man
in your time. But | don't think SO.
You're getting too old for the work. 4"
Gracey was still young; he could speak
carelessly of growing old
I'm my time! Oldt," Roman re-
peated slowly. Il haf not beliefedt
TO-"
He did not vince. But the shout
ders he had been holding so bravely
erect sagged.
"Oldt. 1t ISIS To-
He started to move away, but the
foreman called him back.
See here, Roman" he said with
rough kindness. You've always drawn
good pay And you've quite bit laid
by, | hear. Why don't you go back
to your own country and take it easy
the rest Of your life?"
Roman eyed him listlessly. Here
ISIS mine country. But | do not want
to take 1t easy. Always haf l vorkedt
the work. of strong men,"
He left the foreman and walked
slowly, heavily before the furnaces I'M
til he came to his old station. There
he stopped, watching the crew at
work; in particular watching the fig
ure-so slight for that labor-of the
young man who had endured where
stronger men fell. How neatly he fit
ted into his new niche!
Unit he ISIS not oldt. Oldt!" Roman
shivered.
Mark Truitt ate-or pretended to
eat-his supper in the saloon that
night. He could not bring himself to
face the ordeal of sitting at table with
Romans family.
There was no sense of triumph in
his promotion, honestly earned though
it was as his world measured such
things.
He walked to Romans house, with
a firm tread that was the outward ex-
preston of his mood. He knew just
what was coming. He dreaded 1t, the
moment when he must again face the
man by whose fall he profited, must
again break the sweet ties this life
formed only to sever. Yet he did not
finch. He might rail against the is
sues presented to him, but at least he
had always the courage of his choice.
There was none Of the trappings of
tragedy In the moment he had dreaded.
! The family was gathered as usual in