We use Optical Character Recognition (OCR) during our scanning and processing workflow to make the content of each page searchable. You can view the automatically generated text below as well as copy and paste individual pieces of text to quote in your own work.
Text recognition is never 100% accurate. Many parts of the scanned page may not be reflected in the OCR text output, including: images, page layout, certain fonts or handwriting.
110
Pickles and Pearls
tense. Charlie hoped that he could control himself until he had cleared a path for Mr. McTodd into the factory. He' went on.
"Don't bear down too hard on our employer this afternoon, Bill ! Be kindly. Allow him to enter these portals without interference. Let him range freely about the premises ; and oh, Bill, brighten his declining years with friendly cooperation. Thus, my friend, you will win happiness for yourself, while dispensing it to others !"
By that time, Big Bill Hankins was crying on his coat sleeve.
"I — I don't know why you had to c-come around and pull this soft stuff on me right when we c-could strike a telling blow, Charlie," said he plaintively, "but you have crushed the strike for this afternoon, all right." He lifted his head and waved his hand. "Let 'em have the factory for the wedding, friends," he called to the strikers. "We can do this for Charlie, anyhow."
The workers cleared away and left the silken canopy free for the passage of Mr. McTodd and his guests.
"Wedding?" echoed Charlie, startled.
"Miss McTodd is to marry the duke here at the works," answered Hankins, "and we were holding up the ceremony until we could get our rights. But it's all right, now. You "
Charlie dropped, not easily and gracefully, but with a suddenness and abandon which indicated a most disordered state of mind. He had used his wonderful eloquence on the strikers, not wisely, but too well. In fact, he had helped along the very wedding which it was his purpose to prevent.
CHAPTER XXXIX.
THE MISSING BRIDE.
A stream of ladies and gentlemen poured into the great tank room, wrought into a bowrer of beauty for that festive occasion, and were shown to
seats by the ushers. Charlie came out of his daze to hear Mr. McTodd giving orders to the bookkeeper.
"Use the office phone, Blivens, and call up the manor. Tell my daughter to come in ten minutes. Also, get the Boggsville Hotel on the wire, and give the same instructions to his grace, the Duke of Penruddock. The ceremony wiil be half an hour late, and I fear my little girl will be worrying."
"i will do the telephoning at once," said Blivens, and hastened away.
Charlie got up. "Mr. McTodd !" he called. "Just a minute."
The pickle king stepped to the side of his employee.
"Again you have placed me in your debt, Charlie," said he gratefully. "By George, you -did that well! Where is the tiara ?"
"Here, sir," and Charlie passed over the paper bag.
Mr. McTodd looked into the bag to make sure there was no mistake.
"Some time," said he, after convincing himself that the tiara was really in his possession, "you must tell me all about how you recovered the jewels. I am very busy this afternoon, however, and have no time to listen to your story. You look fatigued, my boy ! Go up into the loft and rest."
"I can't rest, Mr. McTodd," returned Charlie. "I can't rest a minute until I make a few terrible revelations. Sir, this wedding must not proceed ! The
The great man stiffened. "Must not proceed!" he echoed. "What do you mean ?"
"The man who calls himself the Duke of Penruddock is not a duke," Charlie continued. "He is a fortune hunter, a dishonorable schemer, who "
"Careful!" cut in Mr. McTodd angrily. "You are going too far !'
"The man who claims to be the Duke of Penruddock is a scoundrel, and his real name is O'Byrne, Jack O'Byrne.