OLIVE LEAVES AND LAUREL LEAVES

In a very few weeks after Ralph's death the whole affair of his return seemed but as a dream, so much had life resumed its old aspect for all in Phebe's household. But the calm was not to last long; there was first to be two big pieces of excitement, and then, as the young folks say in the old game of "Family Coach," a general "change" round.

One glorious spring evening Jim Coates paid Mrs. Waring an unexpected visit.

"I thought you were at Exton," exclaimed Phebe. She knew that Hugh Black had started work there on a very large scale, and that he had given Jim a good berth.

"Yes, I was there; but I have come over specially to see you. I said to my mates, 'If there's anybody that can help us it's the Little Missis.

And I mean to go and ask her, that I will.' So I've come."

"Are you in trouble? You know I will do whatever I can for you."

"I know you would, Mrs. Waring, I know you would. But, thank G.o.d, it's not anything that is specially _my_ trouble; it has to do with all the lads. They are threatening to come out on strike. They're just mad against Mr. Black, and I thought you might go and see him for us, he would listen to you. It would be no good me going; the lads say now that I'm afraid to open my mouth against him."

"But I should not know what to say to him!" put in Phebe, feeling somewhat aghast at the new _rle_ which was being thrust upon her.

"I can soon tell you all about it, and then I know right well you'd know what to say--no one better. Mr. Black's got hisself into a kind of a corner. He's promised to have the work done by a certain date, and now he sees he can't do it. P'raps he got the job by making out he could do it quicker than others, I don't know about that: anyhow, he's in a fix, and the lads say he means us to get him out of it."

"But how could you?"

"Well, he wants us to work an hour a day extra."

"Yes, you could do that," put in Phebe again in a quick voice, feeling relieved at this easy way out of the difficulty.

"Yes; but what is he willing to pay us? We work ten hours a day now, and a long day it is at that heavy work, and to put another hour a day on to it without anything extra is what the lads won't stand."

"Do you mean to say he wants you to work that hour for nothing? There must be some mistake!" exclaimed Phebe.

"Oh, yes,--don't make a mistake,--he will pay us the usual money, of course, but the lads say that is not fair, if we work extra when we're tired he ought to pay us extra, specially when it's to get him out of a mess, and--my! he'll make a lot of money out of it too! And what I don't like," continued Jim, sinking his voice, "the fellows sneer at him so; they say he's been harder than ever since he's been a bit religious.

'That's what your religion does for a man!--makes him a bigger sneak than ever.' That's how they talk."

Phebe was silent. If the men did talk like that, then it _was_ her duty to go and speak to Hugh Black.

"And there is something worse still for you to hear," continued Jim.

"Mr. Black says if the lads throw the job up, he shall put on a gang of Irishmen, and the fellows say if he does, they will never let them do any work, and there's sure to be bloodshed!"

Another silence. Certainly if she could prevent bloodshed it was her duty to do so! And it seemed to her, too, that the men's claim was a just one; if they were willing to help Hugh Black out of his difficulty he ought to be willing to pay them something extra.

"Are you willing for me to tell Mr. Black all you have just said?"

"Will you go, then?" asked Jim eagerly.

"Why, yes; how could I refuse?" The words came but very slowly.

"There now!" exclaimed Jim excitedly, slapping his hands vigorously on his knees. "There, I said you would, and the lads bet all manner of things you wouldn't; they even said you wouldn't because you couldn't afford to offend Mr. Black. But I told them to wait and see."

Phebe only answered: "Can you tell me exactly what the men would like Mr. Black to do?"

"Yes, I could, but I wonder----"

"Do not hesitate to speak out anything that is in your heart. But I wonder if I could guess what it is you wish to ask me to do! Is it to go and have a talk to the men first?"

"It is!" exclaimed Jim, more excited than ever. "How could you know what was in my mind?"

"Oh, very easily," replied Phebe, laughing.

"I know what the lads want, and you are welcome to tell Mr. Black all I've said; but it will be a heap better if you will talk to the men theirselves."

"Would they be willing for me to be their spokesman to Mr. Black, do you suppose?"

"Why, of course I am. They'd only be too proud if you would."

"When could I see them?"

"They have a meeting to-night----" Again he hesitated, feeling he was asking so much.

Phebe quickly answered, "I will go with you at once," and then added, "Ah, Mr. Coates, it is not the first time you have induced me to go on an errand I have shrunk from!"

"And this one," exclaimed Jim, his face all aglow, "is going to be as well-ended as the other one was, you see if it isn't!"

Half-an-hour's run by the train, and ten minutes' walk brought them to the place of meeting. Many thoughts pa.s.sed through Phebe's mind during that short journey; how came it she should be led into such difficult positions?--how could she adequately deal with subjects so far removed from those of her everyday experience?

Several of the men were on the look-out for her; evidently her visit was expected, for a potato-basket had been turned up for her to stand on, and a chair provided for her to sit on. The men had gathered, about sixty of them, just at the junction of some country roads, and were standing under the shelter of a high barn-wall, for a rather cold wind was blowing.

Many a rough hand was stretched out in welcome to her, and though she was a stranger to some, no one seemed in the slightest to resent her coming.

"I'll speak first and set the ball a-rolling," she said, in her bright way; "Mr. Coates has told me about the trouble you are in, and it is very good of you to let me share it."

"It does one good to hear her voice agin," said one old man in a very audible whisper, which was followed quickly by a loud "Shut up!"

Phebe went on in her calm, low, but incisive voice, commenting on what Jim had told her, and then she asked, "Who is your spokesman here?"

"Ford!" called out a score of voices, and a thick-set man came forward.

"What do you wish Mr. Black to give you for the extra hour?" she asked.

"A shilling."

"And if he agrees to that, what would become of the Irishmen whom you say are on their way here?"

"Let them go back to their taters," some one called out.

"Oirishmen are as good as ye are!" The accent was so unmistakable that a general laugh went up. But it did good.

"Of course they are," replied Phebe, "and sometimes a bit better, and it is for them I want to plead. If I take any sides at all it will not be for the rich"--a big cheer, and much clapping of hands--"but for the poor and unfortunate. Those men come expecting work; if Mr. Black agrees to your terms you ought to be willing to stretch out a willing hand to those Irishmen. You all know Mr. Black has made an error in his calculations"--cries of dissent--"hear me to the end and I am sure you will agree with me."

"We'll make them listen," called out a strong voice, followed by several others. "That we will!"