At last the latch was sharply lifted, and out came Mr. Thornton. 'I want for to speak to yo', sir.' 'Can't stay now, my man. I'm too late as it is.' 'Well, sir, I reckon I can wait till yo' come back.' Mr. Thornton was half way down the street. Higgins sighed. But it was no use. To catch him in the street was his only chance of seeing 'the measter;'
if he had rung the lodge bell, or even gone up to the house to ask for him, he would have been referred to the overlooker. So he stood still again, vouchsafing no answer, but a short nod of recognition to the few men who knew and spoke to him, as the crowd drove out of the millyard at dinner-time, and scowling with all his might at the Irish 'knobsticks' who had just been imported. At last Mr. Thornton returned. 'What! you there still!' 'Ay, sir. I mun speak to yo'.' 'Come in here, then. Stay, we'll go across the yard; the men are not come back, and we shall have it to ourselves. These good people, I see, are at dinner;' said he, closing the door of the porter's lodge. He stopped to speak to the overlooker. The latter said in a low tone: 'I suppose you know, sir, that that man is Higgins, one of the leaders of the Union; he that made that speech in Hurstfield.' 'No, I didn't,' said Mr. Thornton, looking round sharply at his follower.
Higgins was known to him by name as a turbulent spirit. 'Come along,' said he, and his tone was rougher than before. 'It is men such as this,' thought he, 'who interrupt commerce and injure the very town they live in: mere demagogues, lovers of power, at whatever cost to others.' 'Well, sir! what do you want with me?' said Mr. Thornton, facing round at him, as soon as they were in the counting-house of the mill. 'My name is Higgins'-- 'I know that,' broke in Mr. Thornton. 'What do you want, Mr. Higgins? That's the question.' 'I want work.' 'Work! You're a pretty chap to come asking me for work. You don't want impudence, that's very clear.' 'I've getten enemies and backbiters, like my betters; but I ne'er heerd o' ony of them calling me o'er-modest,' said Higgins. His blood was a little roused by Mr. Thornton's manner, more than by his words. Mr. Thornton saw a letter addressed to himself on the table. He took it up and read it through. At the end, he looked up and said, 'What are you waiting for?' 'An answer to the question I axed.' 'I gave it you before. Don't waste any more of your time.' 'Yo' made a remark, sir, on my impudence: but I were taught that it was manners to say either "yes" or "no," when I were axed a civil question.
I should be thankfu' to yo' if yo'd give me work. Hamper will speak to my being a good hand.' 'I've a notion you'd better not send me to Hamper to ask for a character, my man. I might hear more than you'd like.' 'I'd take th' risk. Worst they could say of me is, that I did what I thought best, even to my own wrong.' 'You'd better go and try them, then, and see whether they'll give you work.
