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dragged in to share that fight。 The London Board…room rose before
his mind。 He imagined the portentous gravity of Hemmings； his face
and voice and manner conveying the impression that he alone could
save the situation； the six directors； all men of commonsense and
certainly humane； seated behind large turret…shaped inkpots； the
concern and irritation in their voices； asking how it could have
happened； their comments： 〃An awful thing！〃 〃I suppose Pippin is
doing the best he can！〃 〃Wire him on no account to leave the mine
idle！〃 〃Poor devils！〃 〃A fund？ Of course； what ought we to give？〃
He had a strong conviction that nothing of all this would disturb the
commonsense with which they would go home and eat their mutton。 A
good thing too； the less it was taken to heart the better！ But
Scorrier felt angry。 The fight was so unfair！ A fellow all nerves
with not a soul to help him！ Well； it was his own lookout！ He had
chosen to centre it all in himself； to make himself its very soul。
If he gave way now； the ship must go down！ By a thin thread；
Scorrier's hero…worship still held。 'Man against nature；' he
thought； 'I back the man。' The struggle in which he was so powerless
to give aid； became intensely personal to him； as if he had engaged
his own good faith therein。
The next day they went down again to the pit…head； and Scorrier
himself descended。 The fumes had almost cleared； but there were some
places which would never be reached。 At the end of the day all but
four bodies had been recovered。 〃In the day o' judgment；〃 a miner
said； 〃they four'll come out of here。〃 Those unclaimed bodies
haunted Scorrier。 He came on sentences of writing； where men waiting
to be suffocated had written down their feelings。 In one place； the
hour； the word 〃Sleepy；〃 and a signature。 In another； 〃A。 F。done
for。〃 When he came up at last Pippin was still waiting； pocket…book
in hand； they again departed at a furious pace。
Two days later Scorrier； visiting the shaft； found its neighbourhood
desertednot a living thing of any sort was there except one
Chinaman poking his stick into the rubbish。 Pippin was away down the
coast engaging an engineer； and on his return； Scorrier had not the
heart to tell him of the desertion。 He was spared the effort； for
Pippin said： 〃Don't be afraidyou've got bad news？ The men have
gone on strike。〃
Scorrier sighed。 〃Lock； stock； and barrel〃
〃I thought sosee what I have here！〃 He put before Scorrier a
telegram：
〃At all costs keep workingfatal to stopmanage this somehow。
HEMMINGS。〃
Breathing quickly； he added： 〃As if I didn't know！ 'Manage this
somehow'a little hard！〃
〃What's to be done？〃 asked Scorrier。
〃You see I am commanded！〃 Pippin answered bitterly。 〃And they're
quite right； we must keep workingour contracts！ Now I'm downnot
a soul will spare me！〃
The miners' meeting was held the following day on the outskirts of
the town。 Pippin had cleared the place to make a public recreation…
grounda sort of feather in the company's cap； it was now to be the
spot whereon should be decided the question of the company's life or
death。
The sky to the west was crossed by a single line of cloud like a bar
of beaten gold； tree shadows crept towards the groups of men； the
evening savour； that strong fragrance of the forest； sweetened the
air。 The miners stood all round amongst the burnt tree…stumps； cowed
and sullen。 They looked incapable of movement or expression。 It was
this dumb paralysis that frightened Scorrier。 He watched Pippin
speaking from his phaeton； the butt of all those sullen； restless
eyes。 Would he last out？ Would the wires hold？ It was like the
finish of a race。 He caught a baffled look on Pippin's face； as if
he despaired of piercing that terrible paralysis。 The men's eyes had
begun to wander。 'He's lost his hold；' thought Scorrier； 'it's all
up！'
A miner close beside him muttered： 〃Look out！〃
Pippin was leaning forward； his voice had risen； the words fell like
a whiplash on the faces of the crowd： 〃You shan't throw me over； do
you think I'll give up all I've done for you？ I'll make you the
first power in the colony！ Are you turning tail at the first shot？
You're a set of cowards； my lads！〃
Each man round Scorrier was listening with a different motion of the
handsone rubbed them； one clenched them； another moved his closed
fist； as if stabbing some one in the back。 A grisly…bearded； beetle…
browed； twinkling…eyed old Cornishman muttered： 〃A'hm not troublin'
about that。〃 It seemed almost as if Pippin's object was to get the
men to kill him； they had gathered closer； crouching for a rush。
Suddenly Pippin's voice dropped to a whisper： 〃I'm disgraced
Men； are you going back on me？〃
The old miner next Scorrier called out suddenly： 〃Anny that's
Cornishmen here to stand by the superintendent？〃 A group drew
together； and with murmurs and gesticulation the meeting broke up。
In the evening a deputation came to visit Pippin； and all night long
their voices and the superintendent's footsteps could be heard。 In
the morning； Pippin went early to the mine。 Before supper the
deputation came again； and again Scorrier had to listen hour after
hour to the sound of voices and footsteps till he fell asleep。 Just
before dawn he was awakened by a light。 Pippin stood at his bedside。
〃The men go down to…morrow；〃 he said： 〃What did I tell you？ Carry me
home on my shield； eh？〃
In a week the mine was in full work。
V
Two years later； Scorrier heard once more of Pippin。 A note from
Hemmings reached him asking if he could make it convenient to attend
their Board meeting the following Thursday。 He arrived rather before
the appointed time。 The secretary received him； and； in answer to
inquiry； said： 〃Thank you； we are doing wellbetween ourselves； we
are doing very well。〃
〃And Pippin？〃
The secretary frowned。 〃Ah； Pippin！ We asked you to come on his
account。 Pippin is giving us a lot of trouble。 We have not had a
single line from him for just two years！〃 He spoke with such a sense
of personal grievance that Scorrier felt quite sorry for him。 〃Not a
single line；〃 said Hemmings； 〃since that explosionyou were there at
the time； I remember！ It makes it very awkward； I call it personal
to me。〃
〃But how〃 Scorrier began。
〃We gettelegrams。 He writes to no one； not even to his family。
And why？ Just tell me why？ We hear of him； he's a great nob out
there。 Nothing's done in the colony without his finger being in the
pie。 He turned out the last Government because they wouldn't grant
us an extension for our railwayshows he can't be a fool。 Besides；
look at our balance…sheet！〃
It turned out that the question on which Scorrier's opinion was
desired was； whether Hemmings should be sent out to see what was the
matter with the superintendent。 During the discussion which。
ensued； he was an unwilling listener to strictures on Pippin's
silence。 〃The explosion；〃 he muttered at last； 〃a very trying time！〃
Mr。 Booker pounced on him。 〃A very trying time！ So it wasto all
of us。 But what excuse is thatnow； Mr。 Scorrier； what excuse is
that？〃
Scorrier was obliged to admit that it was none。
〃Business is businesseh； what？〃
Scorrier； gazing round that neat Board…room； nodded。 A deaf
director； who had not spoken for some months； said with sudden
fierceness： 〃It's disgraceful！〃 He was obviously letting off the
fume of long…unuttered disapprovals。 One perfectly neat； benevolent
old fellow； however； who had kept his hat on； and had a single vice
that of coming to the Board…room with a brown paper parcel tied up
with stringmurmured： 〃We must make all allowances；〃 and started an
anecdote about his youth。 He was gently called to order by his
secretary。 Scorrier was asked for his opinion。 He looked at
Hemmings。 〃My importance is concerned；〃 was written all over the
secretary's face。 Moved by an impulse of loyalty to Pippin； Scorrier
answered； as if it were all settled： 〃 Well； let me know when you are
starting； HemmingsI should like the trip myself。〃
As he was going out； the chairman； old Jolyon Forsyte； with a grave；
twinkling look at Hemmings； took him aside。 〃Glad to hear you say
that about going too； Mr。 Scorrier； we must be carefulPippin's such
a good fellow； and so sensitive； and our friend therea bit heavy in
the hand； um？〃
Scorrier did in fact go out with Hemmings。 The secretary was sea…
sick； and his prostration； dignified but noisy； remained a memory for
ever； it was sonorous and finethe prostration of superiority； and
the way in which he spoke of it； taking casual acquaintances into the
caves of his experience； was truly interesting。
Pippin came down to the capital to escort them； provided for their
comforts as if they had been royalty； and had a special train