The Fruit of the Tree

feel his purpose tossing rudderless on unruly waves of emotion, yet strive as he would he could not regain a hold on it. The events of the last twenty-four hours had

erpreted by loveliness of face. By his own choice he had cut himself off from all possibility of such communion; had accepted complete abstinence for that part of his nature which might have offered a refuge from the stern prose of his daily task. But his personal indifferenc

ender chords, he had been deluded into thinking that she understood and responded to his appeal. And her own emotions had been wrought upon by means as cheap: it was only the obvious, theatrical side of the incident that had affected her. If Dillon's wife had been old and ugly, would she have been clasped to her employer's bosom? A more expert knowledge of the sex would have told Amherst that such ready sympathy is likely to be followed by as prompt a reaction of indifference. Luckily Mrs. Westmore's course h

ich was a tacit criticism of his own methods, would promptly seize the pretext to be rid of him. Amherst was aware that only his technical efficiency, and his knack of getting the maximum of work out of the operatives, had secured him from Truscomb's animosity. From the outset there had been small sympathy between the two; but the scarcity of competent and hard-working assistants had made Truscomb endure him for what he was worth to the mills. Now, however, his own folly had put the match to the

felt himself secured by his insight and self-control from the emotional errors besetting the way of the enthusiast; and behold, he had stumbled into the first sentimental trap in his path, and tricked his eyes with a Christmas-chromo vision of lovely woman dispensing coals and blankets! Luckily, though such wounds to his self-confidence cut deep, he could apply to them the antisepti

ly exposed his mother; and when, at the breakfast-table, from which Duplain had already de

mmer morning with the mist on it. The Gaines girls, now, are my idea of the modern type; very handsome, of course, but you see just _how_ handsome the first minute. I like a story that keeps one wondering till the end. It was very kind of Maria A

nd fashion, without a tinge of self-consciousness or apology. "I shall never be as genuine as that," he thought, remembering how he had wished to have Mrs. Westmore know that he was of he

office after breakfast. Beyond the grim roof-line of the factories a dazzle of rays sent upward from banked white clouds the promis

accomplish the object to which his personal desires had been sacrificed. His love of his craft had gradually been merged in the larger love for his fellow-workers, and in the resulting desire to lift and widen their lot. He had once fancied that this end might be attained by an internal revolution in the management of the Westmore mills; that he might succeed in creating an industrial object-lesson conspicuous enough to point the way to wiser law-making and juster relations between the classes. But the last hours' experiences had shown him how vain it was to assault single-handed the strong barrier between money and labour, and how his own dash at the breach had only thrust him farther back into the obscure rank

m it, loomed darkest; and these considerations made him resolve that, if his insubordination were overlooked, he would swallow the affront of a pardon, and continue for the present in the mechanical performance of hi

e upward slant of a soft chin, the firmer line of yielding brows, add a cubit to the outward woman. Her aspect was so commanding that he fancied she had come to express her disapproval of his c

in her absorption forgot to seat herself, and stood w

hat, in Mr. Truscomb's absence, it would be hard for you to leave the mills, and there are one or two things I want

ed. "I'm afraid I expressed myself bad

rm on the edge of the desk behind which he had resumed his place. "That is the reason why I came alone," she continued. "I never can understand when a lot of people are trying to tell me a thi

of distrust were loosened from his spirit, and he blushed for his cheap scepticism of the morning. In a woman so evidently nurtured in dependence, whose views had been formed, and her acti

ness management of the mills--even if there had been any excuse for my doing so--but that I was sure the condition of the operatives could be very much improved, without perman

her ignorance, her credulity, her little rudimentary convictions and her little tentative aspirations,

x, and it would have been difficult to go after that. I _did_ go to the hospital; but the man was sleeping--is Dillon his name?--and the matron told us he was much better. Dr. Disbrow came in the evening and said the

ught not to have said it when I did. But unfortunately I am not the only one to b

"Dismissed for that? Oh

e in the glow he had kindled than if he had had to force his own heat into frozen veins. "Of cours

cked by such arguments. "But he shall be put back--I won't have any one discha

etting work elsewhere. If he were taken back he might be made to suffer. As things are organized here, the hands are very much at the

mplicated it is! I wonder if I shall ever understand it all.

set up three years ago. An operative may be ever so expert with his fingers, and yet not learn to measure his ordinary

e, the more difficult it all seems. Wh

t returned bluntly; and the col

her--and I feel so ignorant of it all." She hesitated again, and then said, turning her bluest glance on him: "I am going to be quite frank with you, Mr. Amhe

llection, "he means my refusing to say who told me tha

tion to make, and that no one should have

this case it would be easy for you or Mr.

said you refused t

ut I am not bound to prevent your

ith a glance at the clock: "If you really wish to judge for yourself, why not go to th

other, Mrs. Westmore would have no difficulty in obtaining the information she wanted; while, even if they met as strangers, the dark-eyed girl's perspicacity might still be trusted to come

n almost childish zest in the adventure. "Of course that is the best way of finding out. I ought

to the general: her curiosity, as yet, was too purely personal and emotional to lead to any larger consideration of the question. But this larger view might grow out of the investigation of Dillon's case; and meanwhile Amherst's own purposes were momentarily lost in the swee

o his companion's beauty: as though her lips had been formed for consolation and her hands for tender offices. It was clear enough that Dillon, still sunk in a torpor broken by feverish tossings, was making no perceptible progress tow

e study of Mrs. Westmore's toilet--had replaced the dark-eyed attendant of the day before; an

the gaping damsel; then, as Amherst persisted: "Ah," she wondered negligently, "do you mean the young lady you saw here yesterday? Certainly--I had forgotten: Miss Brent was merely a--er-

ords, a quick signal of intelligence passed between her hearers. "You see?" Amherst's eyes exclaimed; "I see--they hav

her brows a faint lift of surprise, replied that she had no idea of Miss Bre

nurse, of course--if we could only find her!

know t

couldn't, of course,

thought she recognized you. She said you and sh

t their money--I haven't seen her for years. But how strange that s

e said she heard that a surgical nurse was wanted at the hospital, an

her away for talking to you? Ho

and I suppose Mrs. Ogan or one of the doctors saw us. It

at the convent. She was the ringleader in all our mischief--I never

ries; then she reverted to the question of the Dillons, and of what

o much, Mr. Amherst. I am glad you suggested that Mr. Truscomb should find some work for Dil