"Look here," he said, in another manner, advancing a step. "I think this is all great nonsense. If Madan has exceeded his duty, I will see to it. And, meanwhile, don't you think it would be more worthy of us, as a couple of rational beings, if, now we have met, we had a few serious words on the state of things in this valley? You and I fought a square fight at Malford--you at least said as much. Why can't we fight a square fight here?" Burrows eyed him doubtfully. He was leaning on his stick, recovering breath and composure. George noticed that since the Malford election, even he had lost youth and looks. He had the drunkard's skin and the drunkard's eyes. Yet there were still the make and proportions of the handsome athlete. He was now a man of about thirty-two; but in his first youth he had carried the miner's pick for some four or five years, and during the same period had been one of the most famous football-players of the county. As George knew, he was still the idol of the local clubs, and capable in his sober spells of amazing feats both of strength and endurance. "Well, I have no objection to some conversation with you," said Burrows, at last, slowly. "Let's walk on, then," said George. And they walked past the gate of Ferth, towards the railway-station, which was some two miles off. About an hour later the two men returned along the same road. Both had an air of tension; both were rather pale. "Well, it comes to this," said George, as he stopped beside his own gate, "you believe our case--the badness of trade, the disappearance of profits, pressure of contracts, and all the rest of it--and you still refuse on your part to bear the smallest fraction of the burden? You will claim all you can get in good times--you will give back nothing in bad?" "That is so," said Burrows, deliberately; "that is so, _precisely_. We will take no risks; we give our labour and in return the workman must live. Make the consumer pay, or pay yourselves out of your good years"--he turned imperceptibly towards the barrack-like house on the hill. "We don't care a ha'porth which it is!--only don't you come on the man who risks his life, and works like a galley-slave five days a week for a pittance of five-and-twenty shillings, or thereabouts, to pay--for he _won't_. He's tired of it. Not till you starve him into it, at any rate!" George laughed. "One of the best men in the village has been giving me his opinion this afternoon that there isn't a man in that place"--he pointed to it--"that couldn't live, and live well--aye, and take the masters' terms to-morrow--but for the drink!" His keen look ran over Burrows from head to foot.