“Ay, sir, I mun speak to yo’.”
“Come in here, then. Stay, we’ll go across the yard; the men are not come back, and we shall have it to ourselves. These good people, I see, are at dinner,” said he, closing the door of the porter’s lodge.
He stopped to speak to the overlooker. The latter said in a low tone:
“I suppose you know, sir, that that man is Higgins, one of the leaders of the Union; he that made that speech in Hurstfield.”
“No, I didn’t,” said Mr. Thornton, looking round sharply at his follower. Higgins was known to him by name as a turbulent spirit.
“Come along,” said he, and his tone was rougher than before. “It is men such as this,” thought he, “who interrupt commerce and injure the very town they live in: mere demagogues, lovers of power at whatever cost to others.”
“Well, sir! what do you want with me?” said Mr. Thornton, facing round at him, as soon as they were in the counting-house of the mill.
“My name is Higgins”——
“I know that,” broke in Mr. Thornton. “What do you want, Mr. Higgins? That’s the question.”
“I want work.”