ion was recent, and represented the as yet feeble
organisation of a metal industry in process of transition from the
home-workshop to the full factory, or Great Industry stage. The
conditions of work were extremely bad, and grievances many; wages were
low, and local distress very great. The secretary, a young man of
ability and enthusiasm, wrote to Wharton to say that certain alterations
in the local "payment lists" lately made by the employers amounted to a
reduction of wages; that the workers, beginning to feel the heartening
effects of their union, were determined not to submit; that bitter and
even desperate agitation was spreading fast, and that a far-reaching
strike was imminent. Could they count on the support of the _Clarion_?
The _Clarion_ had already published certain letters on the industry from
a Special Commissioner--letters which had drawn public attention, and
had been eagerly read in the district itself. Would the _Clarion_ now
"go in" for them? Would Mr. Wharton personally support them, in or out
of Parliament, and get his friends to do the same? To which questions,
couched in terms extremely flattering to the power of the _Clarion_ and
its owner, the secretary appended a long and technical statement of the
situation.

Wharton looked up from the letter with a kindling eye. He foresaw an
extremely effective case, both for the newspaper and the House of
Commons. One of the chief capitalists involved was a man called Denny,
who had been long in the House, for whom the owner of the _Clarion_
entertained a strong personal dislike. Denny had thwarted him
vexatiously--had perhaps even made him ridiculous--on one or two
occasions; and Wharton saw no reason whatever for forgiving one's
enemies until, like Narvaez, one had "shot them all." There would be
much satisfaction in making Denny understand who were his masters. And
with these motives there mingled a perfectly genuine sympathy with the
"poor devils" in question, and a desire to see them righted.

"Somebody must be sent down at once," he said to himself. "I suppose,"
he added, with discontent, "it must be Wilkins."

For the man who had written the articles for the _Labour Clarion_, as
Special Commissioner, had some three weeks before left England to take
command of a colonial newspaper.

Still pondering, he took up the other letters, turned them
over--childishly pleased for the thousandth time by the M.P. on each
envelope and the number and variety of