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unusual in him towards men。 Raut went out； and then； after a
wordless look at her； her husband followed。 She stood motionless
while Raut's light footfall and her husband's heavy tread； like
bass and treble； passed down the passage together。 The front door
slammed heavily。 She went to the window； moving slowly； and stood
watchingleaning forward。 The two men appeared for a moment at
the gateway in the road； passed under the street lamp； and were
hidden by the black masses of the shrubbery。 The lamp…light fell
for a moment on their faces； showing only unmeaning pale patches；
telling nothing of what she still feared； and doubted； and craved
vainly to know。 Then she sank down into a crouching attitude in
the big arm…chair； her eyes wide open and staring out at the red
lights from the furnaces that flickered in the sky。 An hour after
she was still there； her attitude scarcely changed。
The oppressive stillness of the evening weighed heavily upon
Raut。 They went side by side down the road in silence； and in
silence turned into the cinder…made by…way that presently opened
out the prospect of the valley。
A blue haze； half dust； half mist； touched the long valley
with mystery。 Beyond were Hanley and Etruria； grey and dark
masses； outlined thinly by the rare golden dots of the street
lamps； and here and there a gaslit window； or the yellow glare of
some late…working factory or crowded public…house。 Out of the
masses； clear and slender against the evening sky； rose a multitude
of tall chimneys； many of them reeking； a few smokeless during a
season of 〃play。〃 Here and there a pallid patch and ghostly
stunted beehive shapes showed the position of a pot…bank； or a
wheel； black and sharp against the hot lower sky； marked some
colliery where they raise the iridescent coal of the place。 Nearer
at hand was the broad stretch of railway； and half invisible trains
shunteda steady puffing and rumbling； with every run a ringing
concussion and a rhythmic series of impacts； and a passage of
intermittent puffs of white steam across the further view。 And
to the left； between the railway and the dark mass of the low hill
beyond； dominating the whole view； colossal； inky…black； and
crowned with smoke and fitful flames； stood the great cylinders of
the Jeddah Company Blast Furnaces； the central edifices of the big
ironworks of which Horrocks was the manager。 They stood heavy and
threatening； full of an incessant turmoil of flames and seething
molten iron； and about the feet of them rattled the rolling…mills；
and the steam hammer beat heavily and splashed the white iron
sparks hither and thither。 Even as they looked； a truckful of fuel
was shot into one of the giants； and the red flames gleamed out；
and a confusion of smoke and black dust came boiling upwards
towards the sky。
〃Certainly you get some fine effects of colour with your
furnaces；〃 said Raut； breaking a silence that had become
apprehensive。
Horrocks grunted。 He stood with his hands in his pockets；
frowning down at the dim steaming railway and the busy ironworks
beyond； frowning as if he were thinking out some knotty problem。
Raut glanced at him and away again。 〃At present your
moonlight effect is hardly ripe；〃 he continued； looking upward。
〃The moon is still smothered by the vestiges of daylight。〃
Horrocks stared at him with the expression of a man who has
suddenly awakened。 〃Vestiges of daylight？ 。 。 。 。 Of course； of
course。〃 He too looked up at the moon； pale still in the midsummer
sky。 〃Come along；〃 he said suddenly； and； gripping Raut's arm in
his hand； made a move towards the path that dropped from them to
the railway。
Raut hung back。 Their eyes met and saw a thousand things in
a moment that their eyes came near to say。 Horrocks' hand
tightened and then relaxed。 He let go； and before Raut was aware
of it； they were arm in arm； and walking； one unwillingly enough；
down the path。
〃You see the fine effect of the railway signals towards
Burslem；〃 said Horrocks； suddenly breaking into loquacity； striding
fast； and tightening the grip of his elbow the while。 〃 Little
green lights and red and white lights； all against the haze。 You
have an eye for effect； Raut。 It's a fine effect。 And look at
those furnaces of mine； how they rise upon us as we come down the
hill。 That to the right is my petseventy feet of him。 I packed
him myself； and he's boiled away cheerfully with iron in his guts
for five long years。 I've a particular fancy for HIM。 That
line of red therea lovely bit of warm orange you'd call it；
Rautthat's the puddlers' furnaces； and there； in the hot light；
three black figuresdid you see the white splash of the
steam…hammer then？that's the rolling mills。 Come along！ Clang；
clatter； how it goes rattling across the floor！ Sheet tin； Raut；
amazing stuff。 Glass mirrors are not in it when that stuff comes
from the mill。 And； squelch！there goes the hammer again。 Come
along！〃
He had to stop talking to catch at his breath。 His arm
twisted into Raut's with benumbing tightness。 He had come striding
down the black path towards the railway as though he was possessed。
Raut had not spoken a word； had simply hung back against Horrocks'
pull with all his strength。
〃I say；〃 he said now； laughing nervously； but with an
undernote of snarl in his voice； 〃why on earth are you nipping my
arm off； Horrocks； and dragging me along like this？〃
At length Horrocks released him。 His manner changed again。
〃Nipping your arm off？〃 he said。 〃Sorry。 But it's you taught me
the trick of walking in that friendly way。〃
〃You haven't learnt the refinements of it yet then；〃 said
Raut； laughing artificially again。 〃By Jove！ I'm black and blue。〃
Horrocks offered no apology。 They stood now near the bottom of the
hill； close to the fence that bordered the railway。 The ironworks
had grown larger and spread out with their approach。 They looked
up to the blast furnaces now instead of down； the further view of
Etruria and Hanley had dropped out of sight with their descent。
Before them； by the stile rose a notice…board； bearing still dimly
visible； the words； 〃BEWARE OF THE TRAINS；〃 half hidden by splashes
of coaly mud。
〃Fine effects；〃 said Horrocks； waving his arm。 〃Here comes a
train。 The puffs of smoke； the orange glare； the round eye of
light in front of it； the melodious rattle。 Fine effects！ But
these furnaces of mine used to be finer； before we shoved cones in
their throats； and saved the gas。〃
〃How？〃 said Raut。 〃Cones？〃
〃Cones； my man； cones。 I'll show you one nearer。 The flames
used to flare out of the open throats； greatwhat is it？pillars
of cloud by day； red and black smoke； and pillars of fire by night。
Now we run it off in pipes； and burn it to heat the blast； and the
top is shut by a cone。 You'll be interested in that cone。〃
〃But every now and then；〃 said Raut； 〃