Richard’s face brightened.  “It will be years hence in a few years!”

Mr. Slocum replied with a slow, grave smile, “I am not going to be unreasonable in a matter where I find Margaret’s happiness concerned; and yours, Richard, I care for that, too; but I’ll have no entanglements.  You and she are to be good friends, and nothing beyond.  I prefer that Margaret should not come to the studio so often; you shall see her whenever you like at our fireside, of an evening.  I don’t think the conditions hard.”

Mr. Slocum had dictated terms, but it was virtually a surrender.  Margaret listened to him with her cheek resting against his arm, and a warm light nestled down deep under her eyelids.

Mr. Slocum drew a half-pathetic sigh.  “I presume I have not done wisely.  Every one bullies me.  The Marble Workers’ Association ruins my yard for me, and now my daughter is taken off my hands.  By the way, Richard,” he said, interrupting himself brusquely, and with an air of dismissing the subject, “I forgot what I came for.  I’ve been thinking over Torrini’s case, and have concluded that you had better make up his account and discharge him.”

“Certainly, sir,” replied Richard, with a shadow of dissent in his manner, “if you wish it.”

“He causes a deal of trouble in the yard.”

“I am afraid he does.  Sucha clean workman when he’s sober!”

“But he is never sober.”

“He has been in a bad way lately, I admit.”

“His example demoralizes the men.  I can see it day by day.”

“I wish he were not so necessary at this moment,” observed Richard.  “I don’t know who else could be trusted with the frieze for the Soldiers’ Monument.  I’d like to keep him on a week or ten days longer.  Suppose I have a plain talk with Torrini?”

“Surely we have enough good hands to stand the loss of one.”

“For a special kind of work there is nobody in the yard like Torrini.  That is one reason why I want to hold on to him for a while, and there are other reasons.”

“Such as what?”

“Well, I think it would not be wholly politic to break with him just now.”

“Why not now as well as any time?”

“He has lately been elected secretary of the Association.”

“What of that?”

“He has a great deal of influence there.”

“If we put him out of the works it seems to me he would lose his importance, if he really has any to speak of.”

“You are mistaken if you doubt it.  His position gives him a chance to do much mischief, and he would avail himself of it very adroitly, if he had a personal grievance.”

“I believe you are actually afraid of the fellow.”

Richard smiled.  “No, I am not afraid of him, but I don’t underrate him.  The men look up to Torrini as a sort of leader; he’s an effective speaker, and knows very well how to fan a dissatisfaction.  Either he or some other disturbing element has recently been at work among the men.  There’s considerable grumbling in the yard.”