Brave and Bold | Page 9

conscience left, and he shrank from the task his wife had thrust upon
him.
"Mr. Baker tells me you wish to see me, Mr. Davis," said Robert, who
had advanced into the office, by way of calling his attention.
"Yes," said the superintendent, laying down his pen, and turning half
round; "I hear a bad account of you, Rushton."
"In what way, sir?" asked our hero, returning his look fearlessly.
"I hear that you have been behaving like a young ruffian," said Mr.
Davis, who felt that he must make out a strong case to justify him in
dismissing Robert from the factory.
"This is a serious charge, Mr. Davis," said Robert, gravely, "and I hope
you will be kind enough to let me know what I have done, and the
name of my accuser."
"I mean to do so. Probably it will be enough to say that your accuser is
my son, Halbert."
"I supposed so. I had a difficulty with Halbert yesterday, but I consider
he was in fault."
"He says you insulted and struck him."
"I did not insult him. The insult came from him."
"Did you strike him?"

"Yes, but not until he had struck me first."
"He didn't mention this, but even if he had you should not have struck
him back."
"Why not?" asked Robert.
"You should have reported the affair to me."
"And allowed him to keep on striking me?"
"You must have said something to provoke him," continued the
superintendent, finding it a little difficult to answer this question, "or he
would not have done it."
"If you will allow me," said Robert, "I will give you an account of the
whole affair."
"Go on," said the superintendent, rather unwillingly, for he strongly
suspected that our hero would be able to justify himself, and so render
dismissal more difficult.
"Halbert took offense because I accompanied Hester Paine home from
the writing school, evening before last, though I did with the young
lady's permission, as he knew. He met me yesterday at twelve o'clock,
as I was going home to dinner, and undertook to lecture me on my
presumption in offering my escort to one so much above me. He also
taunted me with being a factory boy. I told him to keep his advice to
himself, as I should not ask his permission when I wanted to walk, with
Hester Paine. Then he became enraged, and struck me with his cane. I
took it from him and returned the blow, breaking the cane in doing it."
"Ahem!" said the superintendent, clearing his throat; "you must have
been very violent."
"I don't think I was, sir. I struck him a smart blow, but the cane was
very light and easily broken."
"You were certainly very violent," continued Mr. Davis, resolved to

make a point of this. "Halbert did not break the cane when he struck
you."
"He struck the first blow."
"That does not alter the question of the amount of violence, which was
evidently without justification. You must have been in a great passion."
"I don't think I was in any greater passion than Halbert."
"In view of the violence you made use of, I consider that you owe my
son an apology."
"An apology!" repeated Robert, whose astonishment was apparent in
his tone.
"I believe I spoke plainly," said the superintendent, irritably.
"If any apology is to be made," said our hero, firmly, "it ought to come
from Halbert to me."
"How do you make that out?"
"He gave me some impertinent advice, and, because I did not care to
take it, he struck me."
"And you seized his cane in a fury, and broke it in returning the blow."
"I acknowledge that I broke the cane," said Robert; "and I suppose it is
only right that I should pay for it. I am willing to do that, but not to
apologize."
"That will not be sufficient," said the superintendent, who knew that
payment for the cane would fall far short of satisfying his wife or
Halbert. "The cost of the cane was a trifle, and I am willing to buy him
another, but I cannot consent that my son should be subjected to such
rude violence, without an apology from the offender. If I passed this
over, you might attack him again to-morrow."

"I am not in the habit of attacking others without cause," said Robert,
proudly. "If Halbert will let me alone, or treat me with civility, he may
be sure that I shall not trouble him."
"You are evading the main point, Rushton," said the superintendent. "I
have required you to apologize to my son, and I ask you for the last
time whether you propose to comply with my wishes."
"No, sir," said Robert, boldly.
"Do you know to whom