The Black Opal Katharine Susannah Prichard (best free novels txt) š
- Author: Katharine Susannah Prichard
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āMāGinnis says heās heard a lot of āthe freedom to starve on the Ridgeāā āitās more than I have, itās a sure thing if he wants to starve, nobodyād stop him.ā āā ā¦ā
A wave of laughter passed over the hall.
āBut most of us here havenāt any fancy for starving, and whatās more, nobody has ever starved on the Ridge. I donāt say that we havenāt had hard times, that we havenāt gone on short commonsā āwe have; but we havenāt starved, and weāre not going to.ā āā ā¦
āThis talk of buying up the mines comes at the only time it would have been listened to in the last half-dozen years. It hits us when weāre down, in a way; but the slumpāll pass. Thereāve been slumps before, and theyāve passed.ā āā ā¦ Mr. Armitage thinks so, or he wouldnāt be so keen on getting hold of the mines.
āAnd as to production of stone and development of the mines, it seems to me we can do more ourselves than any Proprietary Company, Ltd., or syndicate ever made could. Didnāt old Mr. Armitage, himself, say once that he didnāt know a better conducted or more industrious mining community than this one. āWhy dāyā think that is?ā I asked him. He said he didnāt know. I said, āYou donāt think the way the men feel about their workās got anything to do with it?ā āDamn it, Michael,ā he said, āI donāt want to think so.ā
āAnd I happen to knowāā āMichael smiled slightly towards John Armitage, who was gazing at him with tense features and hands tightly folded and crossed under his chinā āāthat the old man is opposed even now to this scheme because he thinks he wonāt get as much black opal out of us as he does under our own way of doing things. He remembers the Cliffs, and what taking over of the mines did for opalā āand the menā āthere. This scheme is Mr. John Armitageās idea.ā āā ā¦
āHeās put it to you. Youāve heard what it is. All Iāve got to say now is, donāt touch it. Donāt have anything to do with it.ā āā ā¦ Itāll break usā āā ā¦ the spirit of the men hereā āā ā¦ and itāll break what weāve been working on all these years. If it means throwing that up, donāt let us see which side our breadās buttered on, as Mr. MāGinnis says. Let us say like we always haveā ālike weāve been proud to say: āWeāll eat bread and fat, but weāll be our own masters!āāā
āWeāll eat bread and fat, but weāll be our own masters!ā the men who were with Michael roared.
He sat down amid cheers. George and Watty turned in their seats to beam at him, filled with rejoicing.
Armitage rose from his chair and shifted his papers as though he had not quite decided what he intended to say.
āIām not going to ask this meeting for a decision,ā he began.
āYou can have it!ā Bully Bryant yelled.
āThereās a bit of a rush at Blue Pigeon Creek, and Iām going on up there,ā John Armitage continued. āIām due in Sydney at the end of the monthā āthat is, a month from this dateā āand Iāll run up then for your answer to the proposition which has been laid before you. I have said all there is to say about it, except that, notwithstanding anything which may have been asserted to the contrary, I hope you will give your gravest consideration to an enterprise, I am convinced, would be in the best interests of this town and of the people of Fallen Star Ridge. I think, however, you ought to knowā āā
āThat Michael Bradyās a liar and a thief!ā Charley cried, springing from his corner as if loosed from some invisible leash. āIf you believe him, youāre believing a liar and a thief. Mr. Armitage knowsā āā ā¦ I knowā āā ā¦ and Paul knowsā āā
āThrow him out.ā
āHeās mad!ā
The cries rose in a tumult of angry voices. When they were at their height MāGinnis was seen on his feet and waving his arms.
āLet him say what heās got to!ā he shouted. āYou chaps know as well as I do whatās been going the rounds, and we might as well have it out now. If itās not true, Michaelād rather have the strength of it, and give you his answerā āā ā¦ and if there is anything in it, weāve got a right to know.ā
āThatās right!ā some of the men near him chorused.
Newton looked towards George, and George towards Michael.
āMight as well have it,ā Michael said.
Charley, who had been hustled against the wall by Potch and Bully Bryant, was loosed. He moved a few steps forward so that everyone could see him, and breathlessly, shivering, in a frenzy of triumphant malice, told his story. Rouminof, carried away by excitement, edged alongside him, chiming into what he was saying with exclamations and chippings of corroboration.
When Charley had finished talking and had fallen back exhausted, Armitage left his chair as if to continue what he had been going to say when Charley took the floor. Instead, he hesitated, and, feeling his way through the silence of consternation and dismay which had stricken everybody, said uncertainly:
āMuch as I regret having to do so, I consider it my duty to state that Charley Heathfieldās story, as far as I know it, is substantially correct. Some time ago I was sold a stone in New York. As soon as he saw it, my father said, āWhy, thatās Michaelās mascot.ā I asked him if he were sure, and he declared that he could not be mistaken about the stone.ā āā ā¦
āI told him the story I had got with it. Charley has already told you. That stone came from a parcel Charley supposed contained Rouminofās opalsā āthe one Paul got when Jun Johnson and he had a run of luck together. The parcel did not contain Rouminofās opals, and had been exchanged for the parcel which did, either while Rouminof and Charley were going home together or after he had taken them from Rouminof. My father refused to believe
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