[72] CHAPTER VII Luke Manders agrees with her entirely, and Southern Europe contributes some of its culls to the mill, notably one Black Orlo, whose vitriolic utterances the doctor’s daughter finds nourishing. WITH a sag of excitement, a sense of anti-climax, Glen found that Luke was not in his office: he would not return to the mill until late afternoon. This was not surprising, because old Ben Birdsall was shunting more and more of his own responsibilities upon his young assistant, and Luke Manders was doing much work which was far outside the borders of a bookkeeper’s position. He went frequently to outlying plantations and nearby towns on the mill’s business, and she was accustomed to his absences, but to-day it was disappointing out of all proportion. But when her own work was well under way the feeling wore off; there was, indeed, an added zest in the delay. It gave her long hours for thinking—for thinking of her father, and of how satisfied he would be with them both, for remembering that day[73] of their first meeting with Luke Manders in his mountains. So long as her mind and memory functioned, she would have that picture ... the dim interior of Granny Manders’ cabin with the setting sun in a shaft of concentrated radiance for the boy’s entrance, the bold, beautiful boy, gypsy-dark, richly weathered, fearless and free, his gun in his hands, wild as a hawk as his grandam had fitly said, scorning them! And scorning them still, he had come down from his heights to their drab levels, she considered, taking what was best of the lowlands—learning, gentler living, but had kept all that was finest from his forbears and his high hills. [73] How he stood out, Glen exulted, from the men about him—kindly, futile old Mr. ’Gene Carey, slow old Ben Birdsall, the sallow, spiritless mill workers, even the young blades from The Hill! He was a tall pine among garden shrubs. Going quietly about her tasks at the Altonia, she pulsated with pride at the thought of him, planning the clear and purposeful path before them. They would read together and study together and work together, animated always by the ideal of service to the mill people and the mountaineers. They would preach Dr. Darrow’s sermons of air and clean houses and wholesome food; above all, they would fight for better conditions of labor. There were[74] model mills all through the South—even in the same city, mills where children of working age spent half the day in school and made a fine development, body
Prev.
Back
Top