’I wish some of the kindest and wisest of the masters would meet some of you men, and have a good talk on these things; it would, surely, be the best way of getting over your difficulties, which, I do believe, arise from your ignorance—­excuse me, Mr. Higgins—­on subjects which it is for the mutual interest of both masters and men should be well understood by both.  I wonder’—­(half to his daughter), ’if Mr. Thornton might not be induced to do such a thing?’

‘Remember, papa,’ said she in a very low voice, ’what he said one day—­about governments, you know.’  She was unwilling to make any clearer allusion to the conversation they had held on the mode of governing work-people—­by giving men intelligence enough to rule themselves, or by a wise despotism on the part of the master—­for she saw that Higgins had caught Mr. Thornton s name, if not the whole of the speech:  indeed, he began to speak of him.

’Thornton!  He’s the chap as wrote off at once for these Irishers; and led to th’ riot that ruined th’ strike.  Even Hamper wi’ all his bullying, would ha’ waited a while—­but it’s a word and a blow wi’ Thornton.  And, now, when th’ Union would ha’ thanked him for following up th’ chase after Boucher, and them chaps as went right again our commands, it’s Thornton who steps forrard and coolly says that, as th’ strike’s at an end, he, as party injured, doesn’t want to press the charge again the rioters.  I thought he’d had more pluck.  I thought he’d ha’ carried his point, and had his revenge in an open way; but says he (one in court telled me his very words) “they are well known; they will find the natural punishment of their conduct, in the difficulty they will meet wi’ in getting employment.  That will be severe enough.”  I only wish they’d cotched Boucher, and had him up before Hamper.  I see th’ oud tiger setting on him! would he ha’ let him off?  Not he!’

‘Mr. Thornton was right,’ said Margaret.  You are angry against Boucher, Nicholas; or else you would be the first to see, that where the natural punishment would be severe enough for the offence, any farther punishment would be something like revenge.

‘My daughter is no great friend of Mr. Thornton’s,’ said Mr. Hale, smiling at Margaret; while she, as red as any carnation, began to work with double diligence, ’but I believe what she says is the truth.  I like him for it.’

‘Well, sir, this strike has been a weary piece o’ business to me; and yo’ll not wonder if I’m a bit put out wi’ seeing it fail, just for a few men who would na suffer in silence, and hou’d out, brave and firm.’

‘You forget!’ said Margaret.  ’I don’t know much of Boucher; but the only time I saw him it was not his own sufferings he spoke of, but those of his sick wife—­his little children.’

‘True! but he were not made of iron himsel’.  He’d ha’ cried out for his own sorrows, next.  He were not one to bear.’

‘How came he into the Union?’ asked Margaret innocently.  ’You don’t seem to have much respect for him; nor gained much good from having him in.’