“Thinks we’re part of his blasted machinery,” growled his fellow worker.
Christopher passed on and forgot the lathe.
“Where do these people live?” he asked in the comparative quiet of a store yard.
“In the—the villages round, and as near as they can,” said the engineer quietly and looked back. Mr. Masters had gone off to the store-keeper’s office and was out of hearing. Fulner looked at Christopher again and apparently came to a decision. 236
“It is difficult, sometimes, this housing question,” he said swiftly, “are you really interested?”
“Yes, I want to know what contrast they get to this. It’s overpowering, this place.”
“If there was time––” began the other, and stopped, seeing Mr. Masters was approaching. He was followed by a harassed-face sub-manager, who waited uneasily a few yards off.
“Christopher, I shall have to stay here an hour or two. You had better go back. You can catch the 12.40 at the station. Fulner will see you there.”
He nodded to the engineer and strode off towards the main offices.
The sub-manager exchanged a look of consternation with Fulner before he followed.