Henry had now to choose between his mother's advice, and Miss Carden's commands; and this made him rather sullen and irritable.
He was glad to get out of his mother's house, and went direct to the works. Bayne welcomed him warmly, and, after some friendly congratulations and inquiries, pulled out two files of journals, and told him he had promised to introduce him to the editor of the Liberal. He then begged Henry to wait in the office, and read the files--he would not be gone many minutes.
The Constitutional gave a dry narrative of the outrage, and mourned the frequency of such incidents.
The Liberal gave a dramatic narrative, and said the miscreant must have lowered himself by a rope from the parapet, and passed the powder inside without entering. "He periled his life to perpetrate this crime; and he also risked penal servitude for ten years. That he was not deterred by the double risk, proves the influence of some powerful motive; and that motive must have been either a personal feud of a very virulent kind, or else trade fanaticism. From this alternative there is no escape."
Next day, both journals recorded a trade-meeting at "The Rising Sun." Delegates from the Edge-Tool Forgers' Union, and the Edge-
Tool Handlers' Union, and some other representatives of Hillsborough Unions, were present, and passed a resolution repudiating, with disgust, the outrage that had been recently committed, and directed their secretaries to offer a reward of twenty pounds, the same to be paid to any person who would give such information as should lead to the discovery of the culprit.
On this the Constitutional commented as follows:--"Although we never for a moment suspected these respectable Unions of conniving at this enormity, yet it is satisfactory to find them not merely passive spectators, but exerting their energy, and spending their money, in a praiseworthy endeavor to discover and punish the offenders."
Henry laid down the paper, and his heart felt very warm to Jobson and Parkin. "Come," said he, "I am glad of that. They are not half a bad sort, those two, after all."
Then he took up the Liberal, and being young and generous, felt disgusted at its comment:
"This appears to be creditable to the two Unions in question. But, unfortunately, long experience proves that these small rewards never lead to any discovery. They fail so invariably, that the Unions do not risk a shilling by proffering them. In dramatic entertainments the tragedy is followed by a farce: and so it is with these sanguinary crimes in Hillsborough; they are always followed by a repudiation, and offers of a trumpery reward quite disproportionate to the offense, and the only result of the farce is to divert attention from the true line of inquiry as to who enacted the tragedy. The mind craves novelty, and perhaps these delegates will indulge that desire by informing us for once, what was the personal and Corsican feud which led--as they would have us believe--to this outrage; and will, at the same time, explain to us why these outrages with gunpowder have never, either in this or in any preceding case, attacked any but non-union men."
When Henry had read thus far, the writer of the leader entered the room with Mr. Bayne.
A gentleman not above the middle height, but with a remarkable chest, both broad and deep; yet he was not unwieldy, like Dr.
Amboyne, but clean-built, and symmetrical. An agreeable face, with one remarkable feature, a mouth full of iron resolution, and a slight humorous dimple at the corners.
He shook hands with Henry, and said, "I wish to ask you a question or two, in the way of business: but first let me express my sympathy, as a man, and my detestation of the ruffians that have so nearly victimized you."
This was very hearty, and Henry thanked him with some emotion.
"But, sir," said he, "if I am to reply to your questions, you must promise me you will never publish my name."
"It is on account of his mother," whispered Bayne.
"Yes, sir. It was her misfortune to lose my father by a violent death, and of course you may imagine--"
"Say no more," said Mr. Holdfast: "your name shall not appear. And--let me see--does your mother know you work here?"
"Yes, she does."
"Then we had better keep Cheetham's name out as well."
"Oh, thank you, sir, thank you. Now I'll answer any questions you like."
"Well, then, I hear this outrage was preceded by several letters.
Could I see them?"
"Certainly. I carry mine always in my pocket, for fear my poor mother should see them: and, Mr. Bayne, you have got Cheetham's."
In another minute the whole correspondence was on the table, and Mr. Holdfast laid it out in order, like a map, and went through it, taking notes. "What a comedy," said he. "All but the denouement.
Now, Mr. Bayne, can any other manufacturers show me a correspondence of this kind?"
"Is there one that can't? There isn't a power-wheel, or a water-wheel, within eight miles of Hillsborough, that can't show you just such a correspondence as this; and rattening, or worse, at the tail of it."
Mr. Holdfast's eye sparkled like a diamond. "I'll make the round," said he. "And, Mr. Little, perhaps you will be kind enough to go with me, and let me question you, on the road. I have no sub-editor; no staff; I carry the whole journal on my head. Every day is a hard race between Time and me, and not a minute to spare."
Mr. Cheetham was expected at the works this afternoon: so Henry, on leaving Mr. Holdfast, returned to them, and found him there with Bayne, looking, disconsolately, over a dozen orders for carving-tools.
"Glad to see you again, my lad," said Cheetham. "Why, you look all the better."
"I'm none the worse, sir."
"Come to take your balance and leave me?" This was said half plaintively, half crossly.
"If you wish it, sir."
"Not I. How is it to be?"
"Well, sir, I say to you what you said to me the other day, Stick to me, and I'll stick to you."
"I'll stick to you."
Bayne held up his hands piteously to them both.