The Devil's PawOppenheim, E. Phillips (Edward Phillips)
General
The Devil's Paw
Oppenheim, E. Phillips (Edward Phillips)
Detective and mystery stories
“Through Miss Abbeway,” Julian answered. “You have her to thank. I can
assure you that every charge I have made can be substantiated.”
There was a little murmur of confidence. Everyone seemed to find speech
difficult.
“One word more,” Julian went on. “Don’t disband this Council. Keep it
together, just as it is. Keep this building. Keep our association and
sanctify it to one purpose--victory.”
A loud clamour of applause answered him. Once more Cross glanced towards
the prostrate form upon the sofa.
“Let no one interfere,” Julian enjoined. “There is an Act which will
deal with him. He will be removed from this place presently, and he will
not be heard of again for a little time. We don’t want a soul to know
how nearly we were duped. It rests with every one of you to destroy all
the traces of what might have happened. You can do this if you will.
To-morrow call a meeting of the Council. Appoint a permanent chairman,
a new secretary, draw out a syllabus of action for promoting increased
production, for stimulating throughout every industry a passionate
desire for victory. If speaking, writing, or help of mine in any way is
wanted, it is yours. I will willingly be a disciple of the cause. But
this morning let me be your ambassador. Let me go to the Premier with a
message from you. Let me tell him what you have resolved.”
“Hands up all in favour!” Cross exclaimed.
Every hand was raised. Bright came back from the couch, blinking
underneath his heavy spectacles but meekly acquiescent.
“Let us remember this hour,” the Bishop begged, “as something solemn in
our lives. The Council of Labour shall justify itself, shall voice the
will or the people, fighting for victory.”
“For the Peace which comes through Victory!” Julian echoed.
CHAPTER XXII
The Bishop and Catherine, a few weeks later, walked side by side up the
murky length of St. Pancras platform. The train which they had come to
meet was a quarter of an hour late, and they had fallen into a sort of
reminiscent conversation which was not without interest to both of them.
“I left Mr. Stenson only an hour ago,” the Bishop observed. “He could
talk about nothing but Julian Orden and his wonderful speeches. They say
that at Sheffield and Newcastle the enthusiasm was tremendous, and at
three shipbuilding yards on the Clyde the actual work done for the
week after his visit was nearly as much again. He seems to have that
extraordinary gift of talking straight to the hearts of the men. He
makes them feel.”
“Mr. Stenson wrote me about it,” Catherine told her companion, with
a little smile. “He said that no dignity that could be thought of or
invented would be an adequate offering to Julian for his services to
the country. For the first time since the war, Labour seems wholly and
entirely, passionately almost, in earnest. Every one of those delegates
went back full of enthusiasm, and with every one of them, Julian, before
he has finished, is going to make a little tour in his own district.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive