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A week later an unauthorized visitor armed with an iron bar forced his way into O'Grady's
office near the stockade and the duty Marshal was too weak to do much about it. O'Grady
was half asleep, wrapped in a heavy coat when the visitor entered without knocking and
sat down without being asked. 'What d'you want?' O'Grady was too weak even to feel astonished. 'You look like you're going to die, O'Grady,' said Carl. O'Grady jumped nervously and sat up. 'What d'you mean? Oh, no! Not yet. I don't think I am.' Carl did not conceal his contempt. 'You look bad O'Grady. Others look the same and they are my men. When the Pastor in Dentonsville made me the Corporal of the 'Men Apart' I promised to look after them. I haven't done my duty.' 'What can anyone do? We're all in this together. We must wait until the spring.' 'What a fool you are, O'Grady! Even when the weather improves it'll be more than a month before food comes. I know.' 'How d'you know?' O'Grady's voice was faint but by now he had grown angry at this intrusion. If he had the strength to shout... 'Because I am a Shopkeeper. It's my business to know about such things. What's happening here is what happens in Dentonsville in a bad winter. Those who suffer are those who produce no food and have nothing set aside. Men will be dying in another month. That includes you, O'Grady, from the looks of you. But I can save both you and them.' 'How?' O'Grady peered at the miner. He had grown too fond of his life to be giving it up just then. 'There are a hundred good hunters among my men. Who knows how many more there are or what other skills the men have? Free them from work in the mine. Let them go off and do what they were born to do.' 'I can't take that sort of responsibility. That's more than three gangs.' 'I will take the responsibility.' Now O'Grady really raised his voice. 'You?' he croaked.' Get out of here, man, before you find yourself in the stockade again.' 'Don't be a fool, O'Grady,' said Carl arrogantly. 'They can save your life. You don't have a choice.' 'And what d'you think Mr. Bluemud would say?' 'He wouldn't say anything if he didn't know.' O'Grady wavered. He could believe Carl knew what he was talking about. He had never disliked Carl. There were few men O'Grady had ever disliked. 'And what's in this for you, young Carl?' he croaked again. 'To save my men's lives that's all. But things must be organized. If I am to have the responsibility you must make me a foreman. Put me over Vincent in charge of the wages the men receive.' O'Grady almost fell off his chair. He waved his arms in protest. 'Well, I'll be damned! So that's what you want, to take my place, is it? Well I'll be damned... ' 'I don't want your place, O'Grady,' said Carl insolently. 'Bluemud has given you your place and only he can take it from you. I am just a Shopkeeper and I want to be one again. I will work for you and Bluemud will never know.' O'Grady really believed he was starving to death and thus he had no choice. He sent for Vincent. |
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