He laughed at her
grimly.
"Then let me go along with you in the cab," she begged. "You
don't look able to start in so hard, papa, just when you're
barely beginning to get your strength back. Do let me go with
you and see if I can't help--or at least take care of you if you
should get to feeling badly."
He declined, but upon pressure let her put a tiny bottle of
spirits of ammonia in his pocket, and promised to make use of it
if he "felt faint or anything." Then he was off again; and the
next morning had men at work in his sheds, though the wages he
had to pay frightened him.
He directed the workmen in every detail, hurrying them by example
and exhortations, and receiving, in consequence, several
declarations of independence, as well as one resignation, which
took effect immediately. "Yous capitalusts seem to think a man's
got nothin' to do but break his back p'doosin' wealth fer yous to
squander," the resigning person loudly complained. "You look
out: the toiler's day is a-comin', and it ain't so fur off,
neither!" But the capitalist was already out of hearing, gone to
find a man to take this orator's place.
By the end of the week, Adams felt that he had moved
satisfactorily forward in his preparations for the simple
equipment he needed; but he hated the pause of Sunday.
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