William Durgin had summed up the case fairly enough as it stood between the Marble Workers’ Association and Rowland Slocum.  The system of this branch of the trades-union kept trained workmen comparatively scarce, and enabled them to command regular and even advanced prices at periods when other trades were depressed.  The older hands looked upon a fresh apprentice in the yard with much the same favor as workingmen of the era of Jacquard looked upon the introduction of a new piece of machinery.  Unless the apprentice had exceptional tact, he underwent a rough novitiate.  In any case he served a term of social ostracism before he was admitted to full comradeship.  Mr. Slocum could easily have found openings each year for a dozen learners, had the matter been under his control; but it was not.  “I am the master of each man individually,” he declared, “but collectively they are my master.”  So his business, instead of naturally spreading and becoming a benefit to the many, was kept carefully pruned down to the benefit of the few.  He was often forced to decline important contracts, the filling of which would have resulted to the advantage of every person in the village.

Mr. Slocum recognized Richard at once, and listened kindly to his story.  It was Mr. Slocum’s way to listen kindly to every one; but he was impressed with Richard’s intelligence and manner, and became desirous, for several reasons, to assist him.  In the first place, there was room in the shops for another apprentice; experienced hands were on jobs that could have been as well done by beginners; and, in the second place, Mr. Slocum had an intuition that Lemuel Shackford was not treating the lad fairly, though Richard had said nothing to this effect.  Now, Mr. Slocum and Mr. Shackford were just then at swords’ points.

“I don’t suppose I could annoy Shackford more,” was Mr. Slocum’s reflection, “than by doing something for this boy, whom he has always shamelessly neglected.”

The motive was not a high one; but Richard would have been well satisfied with it, if he could have divined it.  He did divine that Mr. Slocum was favorably inclined towards him, and stood watching that gentleman’s face with hopeful anxiety.

“I have my regulation number of young men, Richard,” said Mr. Slocum, “and there will be no vacancy until autumn.  If you could wait a few months.”

Richard’s head drooped.

“Can’t do that?  You write a good hand, you say.  Perhaps you could assist the book-keeper until there’s a chance for you in the yard.”

“I think I could, sir,” said Richard eagerly.

“If you were only a draughtsman, now, I could do something much better for you.  I intend to set up a shop for ornamental carving, and I want some one to draw patterns.  If you had a knack at designing, if you could draw at all”—­

Richard’s face lighted up.

“Perhaps you have a turn that way.  I remember the queer things you used to scratch in the mud in the court, when you were a little shaver.  Can you draw?”