So absorbed was I in the study of the influence of his terrible
master-character upon those closest to it, that I started when he said:
"Let us pray." I followed the example of the others, and knelt. The audible
prayer was offered up by his oldest daughter, Mrs. Wheeler, a widow.
Roebuck punctuated each paragraph in her series of petitions with a
loudly-whispered amen. When she prayed for "the stranger whom Thou has led
seemingly by chance into our little circle," he whispered the amen more
fervently and repeated it. And well he might, the old robber and assassin
by proxy! The prayer ended and, us on our feet, the servants withdrew;
then, awkwardly, all the family except Roebuck. That is, they closed the
doors between the two rooms and left him and me alone in the front parlor.
"I shall not detain you long, Mr. Roebuck," said I. "A report reached me
this evening that sent me to you at once."
"If possible, Matthew," said he, and he could not hide his uneasiness, "put
off business until to-morrow. My mind--yours, too, I trust--is not in the
frame for that kind of thoughts now."
"Is the Coal organization to be announced the first of July?" I demanded.
It has always been, and always shall be, my method to fight in the open.
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