With this came another
thought, followed by an instantaneous decision--what could she do
to help? Already she had determined on her course. She would work
--support herself--relieve her father just that much.
An uncomfortable silence followed. For some moments no one spoke.
Her father, stifling a sigh, turned slowly, pushed a chair to the
fire and settled into it, his rubber-encased knees wide apart, so
that the warmth of the blaze could reach most of his body. Jack
found a seat beside him, his mind on Ruth and her evident
suffering, his ears alert for any fresh word from his Chief.
"I forgot to tell you, Breen," MacFarlane said at last, "that I
came up the track just now as far as the round-house with the
General Manager of the Road. He has sent one of his engineers to
look after that Irishman's job before he can pull it to pieces to
hide his rotten work--that is, what is left of it. Of course it
means a lawsuit or a fight in the Village Council. That takes time
and money, and generally costs more than you get.
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