"
Roy's face turned green. He answered defiantly, not in tone, but in
spirit--
"It wouldn't be for long, at any rate, sir; and Mr. Massingbird, I know,
'll put me into my place again on his return."
Lionel did not reply immediately. The sun was coming down upon his
uncovered head like a burning furnace, and he was casting a glance round
to see if any friendly shade might be at hand. In his absorption over
the moment's business he had not observed that he had halted with Roy
right underneath its beams. No, there was no shade just in that spot. A
public pump stood behind him, but the sun was nearly vertical, and the
pump got as much of it as he did. A thought glanced through Lionel's
mind of resorting to the advice of the women, to double his handkerchief
cornerwise over his head. But he did not purpose staying above another
minute with Roy, to whom he again turned.
"Don't deceive yourself, Roy. Mr. Massingbird is not likely to
countenance such doings as these. That Mrs. Verner will not, I know;
and, I tell you plainly, I will not. You shall pay the men's wages at
the proper and usual time; you shall pay them in full, to the last
halfpenny that they earn.
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