"
"What do you want me to do?" asked the superintendent, submissively.
"Discharge the boy from your employment," said his wife, promptly.
"But how can he and his mother live?--they depend on his wages."
"That is their affair. He ought to have thought of that before he raised
his hand against Halbert."
"I cannot do what you wish," said the superintendent, with some
firmness, for he felt that it would indeed be a piece of meanness to
eject from the factory the boy whom he had already so deeply wronged;
"but I will send for young Rushton and require him to apologize to
Halbert."
"And if he won't do it?" demanded Halbert.
"Then I will send him away."
"Will you promise that, father?" asked Halbert, eagerly.
"Yes," said Mr. Davis, rather reluctantly.
"All right!" thought Halbert; "I am satisfied; for I know he never will
consent to apologize."
Halbert had good reason for this opinion, knowing, as he did, that he
had struck the first blow, a circumstance he had carefully concealed
from his father. Under the circumstances he knew very well that his
father would be called upon to redeem his promise.
The next morning, at the regular hour, our hero went to the factory, and
taking his usual place, set to work. An hour passed, and nothing was
said to him. He began to think that Halbert, feeling that he was the
aggressor, had resolved to let the matter drop.
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