“I’m trying to save you, aren’t I?” he continued; “but you’re same as a man that’s drowning; you kick and struggle till you’d pull a strong swimmer down with you, and I’m not having any. Will five hundred set you on your feet? Are you sober enough to answer me that?”
It was the first time that he had adopted this tone with his victim, but he had measured his distance and knew how far he could go.
“I’m as sober as you,” the other growled thickly. “Five hundred ’ud pull me through; but I tell you I’ll see you hanged before I’ll give you that bill!”
“Very well,” said Inman calmly. “Perhaps before we separate you’ll tell me why, and what you propose to do instead. My money’s right where it is even if it doesn’t bring in five per cent.”
Baldwin said nothing; and Inman regarded him for quite a minute in silence. He then remarked:
“I’ve finished with that suggestion now. Next time it’s mentioned it’ll come from you; but there’s one thing I want to point out. These folk you’ve dealt with all these years aren’t willing to do much for you now ’at you’re down; and you’ve no bank to give you a helping hand. Suppose you had to come to grief in the end what harm would it do you if I was to get the machinery, and leave the other creditors to whistle for their brass? What have they done for you that you’ve to consider them?”
He looked at his watch, and without waiting for an answer rose and went out, turning his steps towards the moors, where there was other game to be snared; and Baldwin sat on, staring moodily at the chair his foreman had vacated.
An hour later Nancy’s baby was born and news spread through the village that the mother’s life was despaired of. The event had not been expected so soon, but there was plenty of competent help available, and it was not the midwife’s inefficiency that caused the old doctor, who had been summoned by telegraph, to shake his head.
“Where’s the father?” he inquired. “Tell him I want him, sharp.”
Keturah hastened to the workshop, but found only Baldwin whom she could not waken from a drunken sleep. Hannah ran home to ask her brother to seek him.