Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1915-11-04
CHAPTER xxIv-continued.

ID
broad veranda when he heard his
name called softly from the depths Of
one Of the great wicker lounging
chairs half hidden In the veranda
shadows. In a moment he had placed
another Of the chairs for himself,
dropping into 1t YEARLY.
Il saw you at the gate" she said.
The men are still holding out!"
I'VE are holding out. The plant is
closed, and It will stay closed until
We can get another force Of work
men"
There will be lots of suffering" she
ventured.
Its no USE" he said. answering her
thought There is nothing in me to
appeal to-"
There was yesterday, or the day be-
fore" she suggested.
Perhaps. But yesterday was yes
terday. and today is today. AS l told
Raymer a little while ago. I've changed
my mind"
NO" she denied, you only think
you have. But you didn't come here
to tell me that"
mo; l came to ask a single Ques-
ton. How is Mr.. Galbraith?"
HE Is a very sick man."
You mean that there is a chance
that he may not recover"
More than a chance, I'm afraid"
After a moment Of silence Griswold
said. Il did my best; you know l did
my best:"
Her answer puzzled him a little.
Il could almost find 1t in my heart
to hate you If you hadn't"
Silence again, broken only by the
whispering Of the summer night
breeze rustling the leaves of the lawn
oaks and the lappings Of tiny wave
on the lake beach. At the end OF 1t,
Griswold got up and CROPPED for his
hat.
I'm going home" he said. 1T has
been a pretty strenuous day, and there
is another n coming. But before l
go I want you to promise me one
thing. viii you let me know imme-
diately, by phone or messenger, II Mr..
Galbraith takes a turn for the better?"
Certainly" she said; and she let
him say goodnight and get as far as
the steps before she called him back
There was another thing" she be-
gan, with the sober gravity that he
could never be sure was not one or
her many poses, and not the least al.
Turing enc. DO you believe in God.
Kenneth"
The query took him altogether by
surprise, but he made shift to answer
it with becoming seriousness.
Il suppose | do. Why"
1T is a time 10 pray to him." she
said softly; Ito pray very earnestly
that Mr.. GaIbraith's life may be
spared"
He could not let that stand.
Why should | concern myself, spe-
cially?" he asked, adding: "Of course,
I'm sorry. and all that. but"
Never mind" she in~terposed. and
she left her chair to walk beside him
to the steps. I've had a hard day.
too, Kenneth. boy. and IL guess it has
got on my nerves. But, all the same,
you ought to do it. you know"
He stopped and looked down into
the eyes whose depths he could
wholly fathom.
: Why don't you do it," he demand
ed.
II? oh, God doesn't know me; and.
besides, thought-oh, well. it doesn't
matter what | thought. Goodnight"
And before he could return the
leaye-taking word. she was gone.
' Raymer's prediction that the real
trouble would begin when the attempt
should be made to start the plant with
Imported workmen was amply fulfilled
during the militant week which fol-
lowed the opening of hostilities. Each
crease Of lawlessness. From taunts
and abuse the insurrectionaries passed
easily to violence. Street fights, when
the trampish place-takers came in any
considerable numbers, were OF daily
occurrence. and the tale of the wound
ed grew like the returns from a bat
tie. BY the middle Of the week Ray.
mer and Griswold were asking for a
sherifs posse to maintain peace in
the neighborhood of the plant; and
were getting their first definite hint
that someone higher up was playing
the game Of politics against them.
mo. gentlemen; I've done all the
law requires and a little more" was
the sheriff's response to the plea for
better protection.
"In other words, Mr.. Bradford,
you've got your orders from the men
higher up, have you?" rasped Girls.
void. who was by this time lost to
all sense of expediency.
81 don't have to reply to any such
charge as that" said the chief peace Of.
ficer, turning back to his desk; and SO
the brittle little conference ended.
"All OF which means that we shall
lose the plant guard Of deputies that
Bradford has been maintaining" com.
mented Raymer, as they we're de.
scending the courthouse stairs; and
again his prediction came true. Later
in the day the guard was withdrawn;
and Griswold. ~sayagely reluctant, was