the ragged trousered philanthropists-第15节

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ood　positions；　and　their　downfall　was　not　in　every　case　their　own　fault。

No　matter　how　prosperous　a　man　might　be；　he　could　not　be　certain　that　his　children　would　never　want　for　bread。　　There　were　thousands　living　in　misery　on　starvation　wages　whose　parents　had　been　wealthy　people。

As　Owen　strode　rapidly　along；　his　mind　filled　with　these　thoughts；　he　was　almost　unconscious　of　the　fact　that　he　was　wet　through　to　the　skin。　　He　was　without　an　overcoat；　it　was　pawned　in　London；　and　he　had　not　yet　been　able　to　redeem　it。　　His　boots　were　leaky　and　sodden　with　mud　and　rain。

He　was　nearly　home　now。　　At　the　corner　of　the　street　in　which　he　lived　there　was　a　newsagent's　shop　and　on　a　board　outside　the　door　was　displayed　a　placard：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　TERRIBLE　DOMESTIC　TRAGEDY　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　DOUBLE　MURDER　AND　SUICIDE

He　went　in　to　buy　a　copy　of　the　paper。　　He　was　a　frequent　customer　here；　and　as　he　entered　the　shopkeeper　greeted　him　by　name。

‘Dreadful　weather；'　he　remarked　as　he　handed　Owen　the　paper。　　‘It　makes　things　pretty　bad　in　your　line；　I　suppose？'

‘Yes；'　responded　Owen；　‘there's　a　lot　of　men　idle；　but　fortunately　I　happen　to　be　working　inside。'

‘You're　one　of　the　lucky　ones；　then；'　said　the　other。　　‘You　know；　there'll　be　a　job　here　for　some　of　'em　as　soon　as　the　weather　gets　a　little　better。　　All　the　outside　of　this　block　is　going　to　be　done　up。　That's　a　pretty　big　job；　isn't　it？'

‘Yes；'　returned　Owen。　　‘Who's　going　to　do　it？'

‘Makehaste　and　Sloggit。　　You　know；　they've　got　a　place　over　at　Windley。'

‘Yes；　I　know　the　firm；'　said　Owen；　grimly。　　He　had　worked　for　them　once　or　twice　himself。

‘The　foreman　was　in　here　today；'　the　shopkeeper　went　on。　　‘He　said　they're　going　to　make　a　start　Monday　morning　if　it's　fine。'

‘Well；　I　hope　it　will　be；'　said　Owen；　‘because　things　are　very　quiet　just　now。'

Wishing　the　other　‘Good　nigh'；　Owen　again　proceeded　homewards。

Half…way　down　the　street　he　paused　irresolutely：　he　was　thinking　of　the　news　he　had　just　heard　and　of　Jack　Linden。

As　soon　as　it　became　generally　known　that　this　work　was　about　to　be　started　there　was　sure　to　be　a　rush　for　it；　and　it　would　be　a　case　of　first　come；　first　served。　　If　he　saw　Jack　tonight　the　old　man　might　be　in　time　to　secure　a　job。

Owen　hesitated：　he　was　wet　through：　it　was　a　long　way　to　Linden's　place；　nearly　twenty　minutes'　walk。　　Still；　he　would　like　to　let　him　know；　because　unless　he　was　one　of　the　first　to　apply；　Linden　would　not　stand　such　a　good　chance　as　a　younger　man。　　Owen　said　to　himself　that　if　he　walked　very　fast　there　was　not　much　risk　of　catching　cold。　Standing　about　in　wet　clothes　might　be　dangerous；　but　so　long　as　one　kept　moving　it　was　all　right。

He　turned　back　and　set　off　in　the　direction　of　Linden's　house：　although　he　was　but　a　few　yards　from　his　own　home；　he　decided　not　to　go　in　because　his　wife　would　be　sure　to　try　to　persuade　him　not　to　go　out　again。

As　he　hurried　along　he　presently　noticed　a　small　dark　object　on　the　doorstep　of　an　untenanted　house。　　He　stopped　to　examine　it　more　closely　and　perceived　that　it　was　a　small　black　kitten。　　The　tiny　creature　came　towards　him　and　began　walking　about　his　feet；　looking　into　his　face　and　crying　piteously。　　He　stooped　down　and　stroked　it；　shuddering　as　his　hands　came　in　contact　with　its　emaciated　body。　　Its　fur　was　saturated　with　rain　and　every　joint　of　its　backbone　was　distinctly　perceptible　to　the　touch。　　As　he　caressed　it；　the　starving　creature　mewed　pathetically。

Owen　decided　to　take　it　home　to　the　boy；　and　as　he　picked　it　up　and　put　it　inside　his　coat　the　little　outcast　began　to　purr。

This　incident　served　to　turn　his　thoughts　into　another　channel。　　　If；　as　so　many　people　pretended　to　believe；　there　was　an　infinitely　loving　God；　how　was　it　that　this　helpless　creature　that　He　had　made　was　condemned　to　suffer？　　It　had　never　done　any　harm；　and　was　in　no　sense　responsible　for　the　fact　that　it　existed。　　Was　God　unaware　of　the　miseries　of　His　creatures？　　If　so；　then　He　was　not　all…knowing。　　Was　God　aware　of　their　sufferings；　but　unable　to　help　them？　　Then　He　was　not　all…powerful。　　Had　He　the　power　but　not　the　will　to　make　His　creatures　happy？　　Then　He　was　not　good。　　No；　it　was　impossible　to　believe　in　the　existence　of　an　individual；　infinite　God。。　　In　fact；　no　one　did　so　believe；　and　least　of　all　those　who　pretended　for　various　reasons　to　be　the　disciples　and　followers　of　Christ。　　The　anti…Christs　who　went　about　singing　hymns；　making　long　prayers　and　crying　Lord；　Lord；　but　never　doing　the　things　which　He　said；　who　were　known　by　their　words　to　be　unbelievers　and　infidels；　unfaithful　to　the　Master　they　pretended　to　serve；　their　lives　being　passed　in　deliberate　and　systematic　disregard　of　His　teachings　and　Commandments。　　It　was　not　necessary　to　call　in　the　evidence　of　science；　or　to　refer　to　the　supposed　inconsistencies；　impossibilities；　contradictions　and　absurdities　contained　in　the　Bible；　in　order　to　prove　there　was　no　truth　in　the　Christian　religion。　　All　that　was　necessary　was　to　look　at　the　conduct　of　the　individuals　who　were　its　votaries。



Chapter　5

The　Clock…case


Jack　Linden　lived　in　a　small　cottage　in　Windley。　　He　had　occupied　this　house　ever　since　his　marriage；　over　thirty　years　ago。

His　home　and　garden　were　his　hobby：　he　was　always　doing　something；　painting；　whitewashing；　papering　and　so　forth。　　The　result　was　that　although　the　house　itself　was　not　of　much　account　he　had　managed　to　get　it　into　very　good　order；　and　as　a　result　it　was　very　clean　and　comfortable。

Another　result　of　his　industry　was　that　…　seeing　the　improved　appearance　of　the　place　…　the　landlord　had　on　two　occasions　raised　the　rent。　　When　Linden　first　took　the　house　the　rent　was　six　shillings　a　week。　　Five　years　after；　it　was　raised　to　seven　shillings；　and　after　the　lapse　of　another　five　years　it　had　been　increased　to　eight　shillings。

During　the　thirty　years　of　his　tenancy　he　had　paid　altogether　nearly　six　hundred　pounds　in　rent；　more　than　double　the　amount　of　the　present　value　of　the　house。　　Jack　did　not　complain　of　this　…　in　fact　he　was　very　well　satisfied。　　He　often　said　that　Mr　Sweater　was　a　very　good　landlord；　because　on　several　occasions　when；　being　out　of　work；　he　had　been　a　few　weeks　behind　with　his　rent　the　agent　acting　for　the　benevolent　Mr　Sweater　had　allowed　Linden　to　pay　off　the　arrears　by　instalments。　　As　old　Jack　was　in　the　habit　of　remarking；　many　a　landlord　would　have　sold　up　their　furniture　and　turned　them　into　the　street。

As　the　reader　is　already　aware；　Linden's　household　consisted　of　his　wife；　his　two　grandchildren　and　his　daughter…in…law；　the　window　and　children　of　his　youngest　son；　a　reservist；　who　died　while　serving　in　the　South　African　War。　　This　man　had　been　a　plasterer；　and　just　before　the　war　he　was　working　for　Rushton　&　Co。

They　had　just　finished　their　tea　when　Owen　knocked　at　their　front　door。　　The　young　woman　went　to　see　who　was　there。

‘Is　Mr　Linden　in？'

‘Yes。　　Who　is　it？'

‘My　name's　Owen。'

Old　Jack；　however；　had　already　recognized　Owen's　voice；　and　came　to　the　door；　wondering　what　he　wanted。

‘As　I　was　going　home　I　heard　that　Makehaste　and　Sloggit　are　going　to　start　a　large　job　on　Monday；　so　I　thought　I'd　run　over　and　let　you　know。'

‘Are　they？'　said　Linden。　　‘I'll　go　and　see　them　in　the　morning。　　But　I'm　afraid　I　won't　stand　much　chance；　because　a　lot　of　their　regular　hands　are　waiting　for　a　job；　but　I'll　go　and　see　'em　all　the　same。'

‘Well；　you　know；　it's　a　big　job。　　All　the　outside　of　that　block　at　the　corner　of　Kerk　Street　and　Lord　Street。　　They're　almost　sure　to　want　a　few　extra　hands。'

‘Yes；　there's　something　in　that；'　said　Linden。　　‘Anyhow；　I'm　much　obliged　to　you　for　letting　me　know；　but　come　in　out　of　the　rain。　　You　must　be　wet　through。'

‘No；　I　won't　stay；'　responded　Owen。　　‘I　don't　want　to　stand　about　any　longer　than　I　can　help　in　these　wet　clothes。'

‘But　it　won't　take　you　a　minit　to　drink　a　cup　of　tea；'　Linden　insisted。　　‘I　won't　ask　you　to　stop　longer　than　that。'

Owen　entered；　the　old　man　closed　the　door　and　led　the　way　into　the　kitchen。　　At　one　side　of　the　fire；　Linden's　wife；　a　frail…looking　old　lady　with　white　hair；　was　seated　in　a　large　armchair；　knitting。　Linden　sat　down　in　a　similar　chair　on　the　other　side。　　The　two　grandchildren；　a　boy　and　girl　about　seven　and　eight　years；　respectively；　were　still　seated　at　the　table。

Standing　by　the　side　of　the　dresser　at　one　end　of　the　room　was　a　treadle　sewing　machine；　and　on　one　end　of　the　dresser　was　a　a　pile　of　sewing：　ladies'　blouses　in　process　of　making。　　This　was　another　instance　of　the　goodness　of　Mr　Sweater；　from　whom　Linden's　daughter…in…law　obtained　the　work。　　It　was　not　much；　because　she　was　only　able　to　do　it　in　her　spare　time；　but　then；　as　she　often　remarked；　every　little　helped。

The　floor　was　covered　with　linoleum：　there　were　a　number　of　framed　pictures　on　the　walls；　and　on　the　high　mantelshelf　were　a　number　of　brightly　polished　tins　and　copper　utensils。　　The　room　had　that　indescribably　homelike；　cosy　air　that　is　found　only　in　those　houses　in　which　the　inhabitants　have　dwelt　for　a　very　long　time。

The　younger　woman　was　already　pouring　out　a　cup　of　tea。

Old　Mrs　Linden；　who　had　never　seen　Owen　before；　althoug