He suddenly jerked himself to his feet, his tremendous shoulders thrust forward across the desk, and raised his hand with a commanding finger.
“Joan,” he ordered harshly, “you get out of here. Go to your room! Leave this affair to this man and me. This is none of your business. Go!”
“I shall not!” she defied him.
“I think it is best,” Dick said, taking a step 297 toward her. “I can take care of my own and Mr. Sloan’s interests. Please go.”
The word “Joan” almost slipped from his lips. She faced him, and backed against the door. “Yours and Mr. Sloan’s interests? What of mine? What of my conscience? What of my own father? What of me?”
She stepped hastily to the desk, and tapped on it with her firm fingers, and faced the mine master.
“I said you must pay!” she declared, her voice rising and trembling in her stress. “And you must! You shall!”
He was in a fury of temper by now, and brought the flat of his heavy, strong hand down on its top, sending the inkwell and the electric stand lamp dancing upward with a bound.
“And I shall do as I please!” he roared. “And it doesn’t please me to pay until these men”––and between the words he brought his hand down in heavy emphasis––“until––these––men––of the Cross mine prove it! I’ll make them get experts and put men in my mine, and put you yourself on the stand before I’ll give them one damned dollar! I’ll fight every step of the road before I’ll lay my hand down. I’ll pay nothing!”
She stood there above him, fixing him with her clear, honest, accusing eyes, and never faltered. 298 Neither his words nor his rage had altered her determination. She was like a statue of justice, fixed and demanding the right. Dick had rushed forward to try and dissuade her from further speech, and stood at the end of the desk in the halo of light from the lamp, and there was a tense stillness in the room which rendered every outward sound more distinct. The voice of a boy driving mules to their stable and singing as he went, the clank and jingle of the chain tugs across the animals’ backs, and the ceaseless monotone of the mill, all came through the open windows, and assailed their ears in that pent moment.