“And have your labour for your pains,” commented Jagger.
“It won’t be t’ first time I’ve worked for naught, and been no worse for’t,” replied Maniwel.
He chose his opportunity when he had seen Inman pass on his way to the station, and early in the afternoon he walked up to Baldwin’s workshop. There was no one downstairs and all was quiet above, but when he reached the next storey he heard a sound in Baldwin’s office and went in, as he had always done—as everybody did—without waiting for an answer to his knock.
There was a bottle on the table and a glass half full of spirits was in Baldwin’s hand. He set it down angrily when he recognised his visitor, and with a curse bade him begone.
“I neither know nor care what brings tha!” he shouted. “Get outside, afore I help tha down!”
“Baldwin!” said Maniwel in a firm but kindly tone; “there never was a time, lad, when tha needed a friend more than tha does now, and I doubt if tha has one i’ t’ world, barring my-sen. I’ve come as a friend——”
“I won’t listen to tha,” shouted the infuriated man, who had already had drink enough to inflame his passion. “I tell tha I’ll do tha an injury if tha doesn’t take thi-sen off! Damn tha! Isn’t it enough ’at tha’s ruined me; thee and thy son——!”
“God help tha, lad!” broke in Maniwel; “tha can’t do me half as big an injury as tha’s doing thi-sen, and I’m flayed them ’at’s advising tha is doing tha no good.”
His eye had fallen on the second glass in the cupboard, and his voice became more pleading. “Don’t thee pin thi faith to Inman, lad. I’d do no man a wrong; but it’s borne in on me ’at that lad’s working for his own ends, and when he’s finished wi’ tha he’ll toss tha on t’ midden same as an old shoe! Cannot tha trust me, lad? Tha’s never known Maniwel Drake go back on his word, and I promise tha I’ll help tha, if I have to suffer for’t.”
Baldwin’s anger had made him impotent, but at these words he drained his glass and then dashed it at Maniwel’s feet where it lay broken in a thousand fragments. Curse followed curse as he refused his old mate’s offer and threatened him with mischief. Maniwel went a step forward and laid his hand on the other’s arm.