"I must stop Colthurst," said Henry Lennox, hastily. And by an abrupt,yet apropos question, he turned the current of the conversation, so asnot to give Mr. Thornton the mortification of acknowledging his wantof success and consequent change of position. But as soon as the newly-started subject had come to a close, Mr. Thornton resumed theconversation just where it had been interrupted, and gave Mr. Colthurstthe reply to his inquiry.
"I have been unsuccessful in business, and have had to give up myposition as a master. I am on the look out for a situation in Milton,where I may meet with employment under some one who will bewilling to let me go along my own way in such matters as these. I candepend upon myself for having no go-ahead theories that I would rashlybring into practice. My only wish is to have the opportunity ofcultivating some intercourse with the hands beyond the mere "cashnexus." But it might be the point Archimedes sought from which tomove the earth, to judge from the importance attached to it by some ofour manufacturers, who shake their heads and look grave as soon as Iname the one or two experiments that I should like to try."
"You call them "experiments" I notice," said Mr. Colthurst, with adelicate increase of respect in his manner.
"Because I believe them to be such. I am not sure of the consequencesthat may result from them. But I am sure they ought to be tried. I havearrived at the conviction that no mere institutions, however wise, andhowever much thought may have been required to organise and arrangethem, can attach class to class as they should be attached, unless theworking out of such institutions bring the individuals of the differentclasses into actual personal contact. Such intercourse is the very breathof life. A working man can hardly be made to feel and know how muchhis employer may have laboured in his study at plans for the benefit ofhis workpeople. A complete plan emerges like a piece of machinery,apparently fitted for every emergency. But the hands accept it as theydo machinery, without understanding the intense mental labour andforethought required to bring it to such perfection. But I would take anidea, the working out of which would necessitate personal intercourse;it might not go well at first, but at every hitch interest would be felt byan increasing number of men, and at last its success in working come tobe desired by all, as all had borne a part in the formation of the plan;and even then I am sure that it would lose its vitality, cease to be living,as soon as it was no longer carried on by that sort of common interestwhich invariably makes people find means and ways of seeing eachother, and becoming acquainted with each others" characters andpersons, and even tricks of temper and modes of speech. We shouldunderstand each other better, and I"ll venture to say we should like each other more."
"And you think they may prevent the recurrence of strikes?"
"Not at all. My utmost expectation only goes so far as this--that theymay render strikes not the bitter, venomous sources of hatred they havehitherto been. A more hopeful man might imagine that a closer andmore genial intercourse between classes might do away with strikes.
But I am not a hopeful man."
Suddenly, as if a new idea had struck him, he crossed over to whereMargaret was sitting, and began, without preface, as if he knew she hadbeen listening to all that had passed:
"Miss Hale, I had a round-robin from some of my men--I suspect inHiggins" handwriting--stating their wish to work for me, if ever I was ina position to employ men again on my own behalf. That was good,wasn"t it?"
"Yes. Just right. I am glad of it," said Margaret, looking up straight intohis face with her speaking eyes, and then dropping them under hiseloquent glance. He gazed back at her for a minute, as if he did notknow exactly what he was about. Then sighed; and saying, "I knew youwould like it," he turned away, and never spoke to her again until he bidher a formal "good night."
As Mr. Lennox took his departure, Margaret said, with a blush that shecould not repress, and with some hesitation,"Can I speak to you to-morrow? I want your help about--something."
"Certainly. I will come at whatever time you name. You cannot give mea greater pleasure than by making me of any use. At eleven? Very well."
His eye brightened with exultation. How she was learning to dependupon him! It seemed as if any day now might give him the certainty,without having which he had determined never to offer to her again.
