"
"I don't think he would be quite so mean as that. We won't borrow
trouble, mother. But time's up, and I must go."
Robert seized his hat and hurried to the mill. He was in his place when
the great factory bell stopped ringing on the stroke of seven, and so
escaped the fine, which would have cut off one-quarter of a day's pay.
Meanwhile, Halbert Davis had passed an uncomfortable and restless night.
He had taken a fancy to Hester Paine, and he had fully determined to
escort her home on the previous evening. As she was much sought after
among her young companions, it would have gratified his pride to have it
known that she had accepted his company. But he had been cut out, and by
Robert Rushton--one of his father's factory hands. This made his
jealousy more intolerable, and humiliated his pride, and set him to work
devising schemes for punishing Robert's presumption. He felt that it was
Robert's duty, even though he had been accepted, to retire from the
field as soon as his, Halbert's, desire was known. This Robert had
expressly declined to do, and Halbert felt very indignant. He made up
his mind that he would give Robert a chance to apologize, and if he
declined to do so he would do what he could to get him turned out of the
factory.
At twelve o'clock the factory bell pealed forth a welcome sound to the
hundreds who were busily at work within the great building.
Pages:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25