The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1914-09-25

the gang
For an instant Mark stared foolish.
ly. Then he grinned. Would Won
mind saying that again?"
Blair complied. Look here" he
added boyishly. I'm taking a chance
on you. because you look and talk
intelligent. Are you?"
Mark admitted 1t.
Then prove it. want to make ,
record on this job and so you've go,
to. Houlahan.' Blair added, Didn't
and he loses his job. Seer"
Mark saw.
in the morning Houlahan reported
happily unaware of a new order of
things.
"Houlahan." Blair announced casu-
ally, "Truitt will take your gang to-
day."
Houlahan glared m%alevolently at
Mark.
And whereM OF go?"
you can take Truths old placer
quit" said Blair CURLY.
MY Cod"
There was no resistance. As II
dazed, the lrishman shouldered his
pick and shovel and with the gang fol-
lowed Mark to the new job.
You have seen a sensitive horse be,
come docile and eager when a master
takes the reins. So it was with Houla-
hans, now Truths, gang. They were,
since they had survived the weeks of
bullying. no mean type; and they re-
sponded gratefully to the changed
leadership. Where they had been sui.
len and resentful, they now became
willing and promptly obedient. AS the
day advanced. the pace, instead Of
s%lackening as under Houlahan's COM
mand, grew faster; the last hours
record was the best of all.
Often Mark went home to his lodg.
ing by way of the mills. Then he be-
gan to spend his evenings studying
them. sometimes in company with
Blair, who when the days work was
done sunk his rank in a rank liking
for his new lieutenant.
At first Mark saw only a vast spec
tacular chaos; a Brobdingnagian fer
ment of ~unordered and unrelated en-
ginery and consuming fires. No guild
ing hand appeared, no purpose was
felt. Some awful mischance that must
bring the whole fabric crashing to
earth seemed always to impend. It
was unbelievable that this creation
had been brought forth from the mind
and by the hand of man.
Gradually to his accustomed eye
the chaos resolved itself into a system
rather, a marvellous system of sye-
tens that worked with a single pur.
pose, each unit fitting precisely into
the ordered whole.
Cod" he exclaimed one night, over.
come by the splendor OF it all. He and
Blair were standing on the bridge
over the blooming mill. watching the
h~alf-naked troop that with hook and
tongs worked a two-ton ingot over the
rolls.
What is 1t? What's happened"
Blair looked around for an accident to
explain the ejaculation.
Nothing. | was just thinking how
how big it is." Mark laughed at the
fe%ebleness of his words. What would
you give to be down there?"
There is such a thing as luck. A
man-himself an artist who had not
yet become exploiter-who had just
come unnoticed on the bridge, heard.
and with a half smile, saw the eager
face.
Blair shrugged his shoulders. Yes.
it's big. But it's hard work. Good
pay, though"
Il suppose So" Mark answered care
lessly. Il wasn't thinking of that"
The man spoke. Good evening,
Blair"
oh: Good evening. Mr.. Henley
Blair struck a respectful attitude. "A
bad night. sir"
Henley looked at Mark. IL don't
Just place you. Where have l seen
you b~efore?"
Mark flushed at the recollection.
Il took a letter l had for you ant
you caught me-"
so you're PeeVing Tom. Ell? Die
you get a job?"
Yes. sir. With a pick-and-shove
gang. I'm boss now"
Henlay seemed not unduly i'm
} pressed.
Hes the man that dug the new
oven beds" Blair interposed gener
J ously. HE did 1t in two weeks and
: three days"
. 1.-TWO weeks and two days." Mari
4 corrected eagerly.
$50 long," Henley continued indit
ferent.
Il had a spoiled gang. 1t took
! week for me to shape EN- up"
. "Humph! That's what we pa,
bosses for. We gave you credit TO
l. that job, Blair"
Il took him out of the gang and pu
v him on the job. But he did the worb
He knows how to get work out o
men,"
n And that vas high praise-the yer
d highest, Henley thought. He turne
n AGAIN IN Mark