had lately been hankering to put into execution. It seemed to him
that the long waited for opportunity had come. Just now Rushton & Co.
were almost the only firm in Mugsborough who had any work. There were
dozens of good workmen out. Yes, this was the time. If this man
agreed he would give him a start. Hunter knew the man was a good
workman, he had worked for Rushton & Co. before. To make room for him
old Linden and some other full-price man could be got rid of; it would
not be difficult to find some excuse.

`Well,' Hunter said at last in a doubtful, hesitating kind of way,
`I'm afraid not, Newman. We're about full up.'

He ceased speaking and remained waiting for the other to say something
more. He did not look at the man, but stooped down, fidgeting with
the mechanism of the bicycle as if adjusting it.

`Things have been so bad this summer,' Newman went on. `I've had
rather a rough time of it. I would be very glad of a job even if it
was only for a week or so.'

There was a pause. After a while, Hunter raised his eyes to the
other's face, but immediately let them fall again.
`Well,' said he, `I might - perhaps - be able to let you have a day or
two. You can come here to this job,' and he nodded his head in the
direction of the house where the men were working. `Tomorrow at
seven. Of course you know the figure?' he added as Newman was about
to thank him. `Six and a half.'

Hunter spoke as if the reduction were already an accomplished fact.
The man was more likely to agree, if he thought that others were