320 THE IRR1 GA Tl ON A GE. 



give to others, and will us the true words: the gift can never be re- 

 deemed. The Mayers moulded their own joys, which were made the 

 joys of others. You will never know the joy your smithing scene and 

 song gave to me in this place, becanse I cannot express it; though 

 every thrill of joy still lives. Perhaps, Miss Clifton, if I ask you what 

 gives you pleasure in the hard toil for woman's strength, your answer 

 would snpply me with the words I might use to tell my own feelings 

 of pleasure." 



"I fear I cannot word my pleasure, " said Daisy, "except to say, 

 doing the work gives a master thrill akin to nature's subtld power. 

 One rules with nature's secret forces; rock, air, water and fire. The 

 stubborn steel one changes to glowing liquid, and to the fine yielding 

 film of steel to spring in myriad motion, breakless. The water serv- 

 ing for the tempering agency. 



* * 



HEARD IN THE BAR-ROOM. 



The police of Saxwych knew Slimy Sam, the skin dealer, and went 

 at once to his home a w r retched two-room cottage and some tumble- 

 down sheds at the back. The van was at once noted, and the man came 

 home late, and did not seem at all disconcerted by the visit of the 

 police, asking, them in an off-hand way if they had brought him any 

 skins, rags, bones, or bottles. They explained that all they wanted 

 that time was Jumbo. 



"So do I," said the man, "but he has gone for good gone to sea, 

 I have heard, and he chalked it here in the inside of this cupboard. 

 Dicky says it reads, 'Gone to sea; I hope when I come back to see 

 Dicky, but not you' Jumbo. " 



This was what was written on the door. A small block bed for 

 sleeping was on the floor there. "Out of the way of the rain, for 

 Dicky," said the man. 



The inspector could glean no more about Jumbo except that he 

 was a bad 'un and that he had tanned him for not minding what he- 

 said, and letting some fellow take the pony and van from him into a 

 wood, but that the load of skins was safe; and before they had been 

 home an hour, Jumbo started off for the train, saying that he had too* 

 much of Saxwych, and that he should do as other boys do go to sea. 



"Then I have to find out what you have not told me, Mr. Sam, ' r 

 said the Inspector. 



"I'll excuse it," said Sam, "you are expected to do a little for your 

 money." 



The two rooms were easily overhauled, but the "summer house, ' r 

 as Sam called his cart shed, was a tougher job; skins, bones, bottles, 

 rags and bits of metal all tempting for fever microbes to use for 

 temporary purposes. 



The pony van was there empty. It had not been cleaned inside, 

 the bottom boards showed traces of lead marks, and some small shreds. 



