Owen waited for about half an hour to see if Hunter would return, but as that disciple did not appear, he decided not to wait any longer.
Before leaving he gave Bert some instructions:
`Keep up the fire with all the old paint that you can scrape off those things and any other old paint or rubbish that's here, and whenever it grows dull put more wood on.There's a lot of old stuff here that's of no use except to be thrown away or burnt.Burn it all.If Hunter says anything, tell him that I lit the fire, and that I told you to keep it burning.If you want more wood, go out and take it.'
`All right,' replied Bert.
On his way out Owen spoke to Sawkins.His manner was so menacing, his face so pale, and there was such a strange glare in his eyes, that the latter thought of the talk there had been about Owen being mad, and felt half afraid of him.
`I am going to the office to see Rushton; if Hunter comes here, you say I told you to tell him that if I find the boy in that shop again without a fire, I'll report it to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.And as for you, if the boy comes out here to get more wood, don't you attempt to interfere with him.'
`I don't want to interfere with the bloody kid,' grunted Sawkins.`It seems to me as if he's gorn orf 'is bloody crumpet,' he added as he watched Owen walking rapidly down the street.`I can't understand why people can't mind their own bloody business: anyone would think the boy belonged to 'IM.'
That was just how the matter presented itself to Owen.The idea that it was his own child who was to be treated in this way possessed and infuriated him as he strode savagely along.In the vicinity of the Slave Market on the Grand Parade he passed - without seeing them -several groups of unemployed artisans whom he knew.Some of them were offended and remarked that he was getting stuck up, but others, observing how strange he looked, repeated the old prophecy that one of these days Owen would go out of his mind.
As he drew near to his destination large flakes of snow began to fall.
He walked so rapidly and was in such a fury that by the time he reached the shop he was scarcely able to speak.
`Is - Hunter - or Rushton here?' he demanded of the shopman.
`Hunter isn't, but the guv'nor is.What was it you wanted?'
`He'll soon - know - that,' panted Owen as he strode up to the office door, and without troubling to knock, flung it violently open and entered.
The atmosphere of this place was very different from that of the damp cellar where Bert was working.A grate fitted with asbestos blocks and lit with gas communicated a genial warmth to the air.
Rushton was standing leaning over Miss Wade's chair with his left arm round her neck.Owen recollected afterwards that her dress was disarranged.She retired hastily to the far end of the room as Rushton jumped away from her, and stared in amazement and confusion at the intruder - he was too astonished and embarrassed to speak.Owen stood panting and quivering in the middle of the office and pointed a trembling finger at his employer:
`I've come - here - to tell - you - that - if I find young - Bert White - working - down in that shop - without a fire - I'll have you prosecuted.The place is not good enough for a stable - if you owned a valuable dog - you wouldn't keep it there - I give you fair warning -I know - enough - about you - to put you - where you deserve to be -if you don't treat him better I'll have you punished I'll show you up.'
Rushton continued to stare at him in mingled confusion, fear and perplexity; he did not yet comprehend exactly what it was all about;he was guiltily conscious of so many things which he might reasonably fear to be shown up or prosecuted for if they were known, and the fact of being caught under such circumstances with Miss Wade helped to reduce him to a condition approaching terror.
`If the boy has been there without a fire, I 'aven't known anything about it,' he stammered at last.`Mr 'Unter has charge of all those matters.'
`You - yourself - forbade him - to make a fire last winter - and anyhow - you know about it now.You obtained money from his mother under the pretence - that you were going - to teach him a trade - but for the last twelve months - you have been using him - as if he were -a beast of burden.I advise you to see to it - or I shall - find -means - to make you - wish you had done so.'
With this Owen turned and went out, leaving the door open, and Rushton in a state of mind compounded of fear, amazement and anger.
