Page:MacGrath--The luck of the Irish.djvu/327

 recollection. She need never know until she was strong enough.

The next day, his heart big with misery, William went forth in search of a job. He was obsessed with the idea that he must find some way to make money. It was all right for the doctor and the nurse to trust him, but sooner or later he must have money. There was always the possibility of the consul-general getting killed on that hunting expedition. And then where would he be?

First he sought the few plumbing establishments. They thought he was joking at first, and laughed pleasantly; but when he declared his seriousness they informed him that there was no chance for any but the native. No white man could work for the native wage. Then he tried the hardware-shops and ship-chandlers—natives. It was not pride on William's part; he would have dug trenches with the devil himself if there had been a white man's wage in it. His idea was to get enough ready cash to cable Burns. He dared not ask the doctor to lend him money. The man might turn about and refuse to trust him further. And the clerk at the consulate had hinted that he could not afford to lend anything except his good will, and William was grateful enough for even that. He must find a white man's wage for a week or so. Must.

He returned to the hotel at noon. Ruth's condition was unchanged. He remained two hours at the bedside, then renewed his quest for work. At five he found himself on one of the