LESLIE TENDS TO BUSINESS
The arrival of the father of Leslie Cairns upon the scene of her
business activities was, indeed, as Robin had declared, in the light of
amazing. More, that he should have suddenly appeared like a devastating
whirlwind and summarily discharged the working force engaged in the
building of the garage seemed little short of incredible.
“Come on back to the car.” Marjorie caught Robin by an arm. “I know you
would like to join Mr. Graham, Signor Baretti. Don’t think you must stay
here with us. That’s a man’s meeting up there,” she nodded toward the
crowd. “They wouldn’t feel at ease if we went up there. We might spoil
the good effect upon them that Mr. Graham is trying for. We’ll sit in
the car and wait for you two. You go, and help him. You understand the
Italian workmen better even than he.”
“I go. That is what I want do, but I think I must stay by you.” Baretti
grew radiant. “Pretty soon I come back with Mr. Gra’m. Then you will
hear more that he know.” The inn keeper hustled toward the crowd of
workmen. Page and Dean picked their way to the car over the rough frozen
earth.
It was fifteen minutes later, and the amazement of the Italian’s report
had not yet died out between the partners, when the throng around Peter
Graham broke up and the workmen went their several ways. As a result of
their unexpected discharge from their “fat” job they were a crestfallen
set of men.
The Italians had led the movement of return to Peter Graham. With the
stolidity of the foreign laborer, a job was a job. If they were thrown
out of work in one place, they must find work in another. It mattered
not at all to them that they had treacherously deserted Peter Graham.
They waited on the scene of their disaster only long enough to learn
from Conner, the foreman, that they would be able to collect their pay
checks next day at the Hamilton office of Thorne and Foster. Their next
move was straight to the dormitory. There they hung about in the cold
until the arrival of Peter Graham, which had not been until shortly
before Signor Baretti and the partners had arrived.
The builder had on that day been on an unfruitful and discouraging hunt
for men. His surprise at finding a sheepish but anxious delegation of
jobless men awaiting him had been mixed with grim amusement. He had
seized the advantage which he had at once saw was his to lay down the
law to them. Of the early morning episode which had brought him his old
corps of workmen he had not yet a clear story. He was more interested
just then in the effect rather than the cause. The men had asked to be
allowed to take up their old work that day. The builder refused the
request, and sent them home. “Don’t come back tomorrow unless you feel
that you are going to stick to me until this job is done,” were his
parting words to them.
A little later the builder and Signor Baretti were walking toward the
roadster where the partners patiently waited to congratulate Peter
Graham on the sudden silver lining that a very gray sky had turned out.
The inn keeper insisted that his three friends should go to the inn for
something hot to eat and drink. Peter Graham had been too busy to stop
for luncheon. He hailed the invitation. Page and Dean found hot
chocolate and marguerites appetizing after their stay out in the cold.
Even Baretti broke his rule and drank a cup of very strong black coffee.
Around the table the four discussed the unexpected eclipse of the garage
operation at length. They hoped to arrive at a logical conclusion
regarding the reason for Peter Cairns’s high-handed procedure against
his daughter’s business venture. Greater than the knowledge that their
work could now go on, was the wonder of the partners at the summary
defeat of Leslie Cairns’s dishonorable scheme. Peter Graham was more
concerned with the return of the workmen than anything else. He had not
passed through three trying years on the campus with Leslie Cairns
always a menace. Guiseppe Baretti was filled with secret bliss over one
lovely fact. Peter Car-rins had received his letter.
Meanwhile Baretti’s new roadster had hardly made port at the inn when
Leslie Cairns turned her car into Hamilton Pike, bent on a visit to her
garage site. Her special interest, however, was in viewing the dormitory
and exulting in the “crimp” she had “handed the prigs and digs.” She was
well pleased at having “put one over on that cotton-topped carpenter.”
With her affairs progressing so smoothly Leslie had not troubled herself
to visit the garage site for several days. All that Anton Lavigne had
promised to do he had done. She had seen him but once in Hamilton. Then
he had visited the Italian quarter as Ravenzo. He had telephoned her to
pick him up with her car at a rather lonely spot on Hamilton Pike. A
small mustache, shell-rimmed glasses and rough tweed clothing so changed
his appearance that she had hardly known him. He had talked with her
only as long as it took to reach the railway station where he took the
first train for New York. He had assured her of having done his work
thoroughly. As the winter wore on toward March and the situation he had
promoted remained unchanged she grew more and more pleased with herself.
She was not specially pleased with Thorne and Stone. In spite of plenty
of help they dragged the building of the garage. She quarreled with them
about it whenever she saw either partner. She retained them because of
their lack of principle.
Leslie spun her car along the pike with her usual disregard for speed
laws. It was cold and she was not anxious to remain out long in the
sharp wind. She resolved to give the “flivver” and the “success” the
“once over,” then drive to the Colonial, telephone Doris and invite her
to go back to town with her for the rest of the afternoon and evening.
The surprise which had met Robin and Marjorie on reaching the dormitory
was a surprise. The situation which Leslie found herself facing was a
shock. Her first glance of scowling consternation deepened as she went
nearer the garage foundation and neither heard nor saw even a solitary
workman. The stillness of the place depressed her. What had happened to
her gang of men? Ah! She had it. Thorne and Foster had perhaps laid the
men off for a day. She would be charged for the day’s work they had not
done. The builders would collect it and keep it. Nothing doing! She
would drive to their town office and have it out with them.
Leslie shivered as a blast of wind cut through even her fur coat. She
ran back to her car and sprang into it. She heard the sound of a hammer
tapping away in the dormitory. She grinned derisively as she glanced up
at the half completed edifice. Thanks to Lavigne, Bean’s settlement
house would go a long time without a roof.
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