CHAPTER XXVIII.
A SPEECH.
When he returned to the Works the noon-bell was ringing, and the hands were crowding through the gates on their way to their midday meal. Among those going out he met Floxham, who spoke to him as he passed.
"Theer's some o' them chaps," he said, "as wunnot show their faces again."
"Aye," said Haworth, "I see that."
Ffrench had left the bank and was pacing up and down his room panic-stricken.
"What have you heard?" he exclaimed, turning as Haworth entered. "Is it—is it as bad as you expected?"
"Aye," said Haworth, "worse and better too."
"Better?" he faltered.
Haworth flung himself into a chair. He wore a look of dogged triumph.
"Leave 'em to me," he answered. "I'm in th' mood fur 'em now."
But it was not until some time afterward that he delivered the message Rachel Ffrench had intrusted to him.
On hearing it her father appeared to rally a little.
"It seems a rather dangerous thing to do," he said, "but—it is like her. And perhaps, after all, there is something in in showing no fear."
And for a few moments after having thought the incident over he became comparatively sanguine and cheerful.
As Floxham had predicted, when the work-bell called the hands together again there were still other places vacant. Mr. Briarley, it may be observed, had been absent all day, and by this time was listening with affectionate interest and spasmodic attacks of inopportune enthusiasm to various inflammatory speeches which were being made at a beer house.
Toward evening the work lagged so that the over-lookers could no longer keep up the semblance of ignorance. A kind of gloom settled upon them also, and they went about with depressed faces.
"It'll be all up to-morrow," said one, "if there's nothing done."
But something was done.
Suddenly—just before time for the last bell to ring—Haworth appeared at the door of the principal room.
"Lads!" he shouted, "them on you as wants a speech from Jem Haworth gather in th' yard in five minutes from now."
There was no more work done. The bell began to ring; implements were thrown down and a shout went up from the crowd. Then there was a rush into the yard, and in less than the five minutes the out-pouring of the place thronged about its chief doorway where Jem Haworth stood on the topmost step, looking down, facing them all, boldly—with the air of a man who felt his victory more than half won.
"Let's hear what tha'st getten to say," cried some one well hidden by the crowd. "Out wi' it."
"It's not much," Haworth shouted back. "It's this to start with. I'm here to find out where you chaps stand."
But there was no answer to this. He knew there would be none and went on.
"I've been through th' place this morning," he said, "and through th' town, and I know how th' wind blows as well as any on you. Th' lads at Marfort and Molton and Dillup are on th' strike. There's a bad lookout in many a place besides them. There's a lot of fools laying in beer and making speeches down in Broxton; there were some here this morning as didn't show this afternoon. How many on you's going to follow them?"
Then there was a murmur which was not easy to understand. It was a mixture of sounds defiant and conciliatory. Haworth moved forward. He knew them better than they knew him.
"I'm not one o' the model soart," he called out. "I've not set up soup kitchens nor given you flannel petticoats. I've looked sharp after you, and I should have been a fool if I hadn't. I've let you alone out of work hours, and I've not grudged you your sprees, when they didn't stand in my way. I've done the square thing by you, and I've done it by myself. Th' places I've built let no water in, and I let 'em to you as easy as I could and make no loss. I didn't build 'em for benevolent purposes, but I've not heard one of you chaps complain of 'em yet. I've given you your dues and stood by you—and I'll do it again, by "
There was a silence—a significant breathless one.
"Have I done it," he said, "or haven't I?"
Suddenly the silence was broken.
"Aye," there was a shout, "aye, lad, yo' ha'."
"Then," he shouted, "them as Jem Haworth has stood by, let 'em stand by Jem Haworth!"
And he struck his big fist upon his open palm with a fierce blow, and stood before them breathing hard.
He had the best metal on his side somehow, and the best metal carried the day. The boldness of his move, the fact that he had not waited, but had taken the lead, were things all for him. Even those who wavered toward the enemy were stirred to something like admiration.
"But what about th' Union?" said a timorous voice in the rear. "Theer'll be trouble with th' Unions as sure as we stand out, Mester."
Haworth made a movement none of them understood. He put his hand behind him and drew from his hip-pocket an object which caused every man of them to give a little start and gasp. They were used to simple and always convenient modes of defense. The little object he produced would not have startled an American, but it startled a Lancashire, audience. It was of shining steel and rose-wood, and its bright barrels glittered significantly. He held it out and patted it lightly.
"That's for the Union, lads," he said. "And more like it."
A few of the black sheep moved restlessly and with manifest tremor. This was a new aspect of affairs. One of them suddenly cried out with much feebleness:
"Th—three cheers for Haworth."
"Let the chaps as are on the other side go to their lot now," said Haworth.
But no one moved.
"There's some here that'll go when th' time comes," he announced. "Let 'em tell what they've heard. Now lads, the rest on you up with your hands."
The whole place was in a tumult. They held up their hands and clenched and shook them and shouted, and here and there swore with fluency and enthusiasm. There were not six among them who were not fired with the general friendly excitement.
"To-morrow morning there'll be papers posted up, writ in Jem Haworth's hand and signed with his name," cried Haworth. "Read 'em as you come along, lads, and when you reach here I'll be ready for you."
"Is it about th' pistols?" faltered the timorous voice.
"Aye," Haworth answered, "about th' pistols. Now go home."
He turned to mount the step, flushed and breathing fast and with high-beating pulses, when suddenly he stopped. Before the iron gate a carriage had stopped. A servant in livery got down and opened the door, and Rachel Ffrench stepped out. The hands checked their shouting to look at her. She came up the yard slowly and with the setting sun shining upon her. It was natural that they should gaze at her as she approached, though she did not look at any of them—only at Haworth, who waited. They made a pathway for her and she passed through it and went up the step. Her rich dress touched more than one man as she swept by.
"I thought," they heard her say, "that I would call for my father."
Then for the first time she looked at the men. She turned at the top of the step and looked down—the sun on her dress and face.
There was not a man among them who did not feel the look. At first a murmur arose and then an incoherent cry and then a shout, and they threw up their caps and shouted until they were hoarse.
In the midst of it she turned aside and went in with a smile on her lips.
In Haworth's room they found her father standing behind the door with a startled air.
"What are they shouting for?" he asked. "What is the matter now?"
"I think I am the matter," Miss Ffrench answered, "though I scarcely know why. Ah," giving him a quiet glance, "you are afraid!"