She reasoned thus as she wearily pushed her loaded truck, glancing at the others with envy as they briskly went on with their work. Suddenly she saw Rosalie, who was fastening some threads, fall down beside the girl who was next to her. At the same time a girlish cry of anguish was heard.
The machinery was stopped at once. All was silent now, the silence only broken by a moan. Boys and girls, in fact everyone, hurried towards Rosalie, despite the sharp words from old Ninepins. "Thunder in Heaven, the machines have stopped. What's the matter?" he cried.
The girls crowded around Rosalie and lifted her to her feet.
"What's the matter?" they asked.
"It's my hand," she murmured; "I caught it in the machine. Oh!..."
Her face was very pale, her lips bloodless. Drops of blood were falling from her crushed hand. But upon examining it, it was found that only two fingers were hurt, one probably broken.
Ninepins, who at first had felt pity for the girl, now began pushing those who surrounded her back to their places.
"Be off; go back to your work," he cried. "A lot of fuss about nothing."
"Yes; it was a lot of fuss for nothing when you broke your leg, wasn't it?" cried out a voice.
He glanced about to see who had spoken, but it was impossible to find out in the crowd. Then he shouted again: