The spirit that she had
felt in the office when John talked with his fellow workmen, she felt
now in the presence of this workman. The power, the strength, the
bigness, the meaning of the Mill, as it had come to her, were all
personified in him. A strange exultation of possession lifted her up.
She was hungry for her own; she wanted to cry out: "This work is my
work--these people are my people--this man is my man!"
It was Captain Charlie who ended the interview with the excuse that the
big machine needed his immediate attention. He had stood as they talked
with a hand on one of the controls and several times he had turned a
watchful eye on his charge. It was almost, Helen thought with a little
thrill of triumph, as though the man sought in the familiar touch of
his iron and steel a calmness and self-control that he needed. But now,
when he turned to give his attention wholly to his work, with the
effect of politely dismissing her, she felt as though he had suddenly,
if ever so politely, closed a door in her face.
John must have felt it a little, too, for he became rather quiet as
they went on and soon concluded their inspection of the plant.
At the office door, Helen paused and turned to look back, as if
reluctant to leave the scene that had now such meaning for her, while
her brother stood silently watching her.
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