Page:Arminell, a social romance (1896).djvu/109

Rh an hour, before she saw her father coming to her. He had left his wine; there were, as it happened, no guests in the house, and he and the tutor had not many topics in common.

"Well, Armie!" he said, "I have come out to have a cigar, and lean on you. My lady told me I should find you here."

"And, papa, I am so glad you have come, for I want to have a word with you."

"About what, child?" Lord Lamerton was a direct man—a man in his position must be direct to get through all the business that falls to him, business which he cannot escape from, however much he may desire it.

"Papa," said Arminell, "it is about the Saltrens."

"What about them?"

"If you give up the manganese—what is Captain Saltren to do?"

"Stephen will find work somewhere, never fear."

"But he cannot leave his house."

"That he will have to sell; the railway company want to cross Chillacombe at that point. He will get a good price, far beyond the value of the house and plot of land."

"Papa—must the manganese be given up?"

"Of course it must. I have no intention of allowing myself to be undermined."

"But it is so cruel to the men who worked on it."

"Manganese no longer pays for working. There has been a loss on the mine for the last five years. We are driven out of the market by the Eiffel manganese. The Germans work at less wage, and our men refuse to have their wage reduced."

"But what are the miners to do?"

"They were given warning that the mine would be closed, as long as five years ago; and the warning has been renewed every year since. They have known that they