put yourself in his place-第44部分

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〃Did　I？　　Well；　I　dare　say　I　did。　　But　gi'　me　time。　　Gi'　me　time。　It's　noane　so　easy　to　look　a　man　in　the　face；　and　tell　him　what　I'm　to　tell　thee。　　But　I　can't　die　with　it　on　me。　　It　chokes　me；　ever　since　you　brought　me　yonder　stuff；　and　the　women　set　a…talking。　　I　sayold　lad'twas　I　did　thee　yon　little　job　at　Cheetham's。　　But　I　knew　no　better。〃

There　was　a　dead　silence。　　And　then　Henry　spoke。

〃Who　set　you　on？〃

〃Nay；　that's　their　business。〃

〃How　did　you　do　it？〃

At　this　questionwill　it　be　believed？the　penitent's　eye　twinkled　with　momentary　vanity。　　〃I　fastened　a　tea…cup　to　an　iron　rake；　and　filled　the　cup　with　powder；　then　I　passed　it　in；　and　spilt　the　powder　out　of　cup；　and　raked　it　in　to　the　smithy　slack；　and　so　on；　filling　and　raking　in。　　But　I　did　thee　one　good　turn；　lad；　I　put　powder　as　far　from　bellows　as　I　could。　　Eh；　but　I　was　a　bad　'un　to　do　the　like　to　thee；　and　thou's　a　good　'un　to　come　here。　　When　I　saw　thee　lie　there；　all　scorched　and　shaking；　I　didn't　like　my　work；　and　now　I　hate　it。　　But　I　knew　no　better　at　the　time。　　And；　you　see；　I've　got　it　worse　myself。　　And　cheap　served　too。〃

〃Oh；　Mr。　Little；〃　said　Eliza　Watney；　〃TRY　and　forgive　him。〃

〃My　girl；〃　said　Henry；　solemnly；　〃I　thought　I　never　could　forgive　the　man　who　did　that　cruel　deed　to　me；　and　I　had　never　injured　any　one。　　But　it　is　hard　to　know　one's　own　mind；　let　alone　another　man's。　　Now　I　look　at　him　lying　pale　and　battered　there；　it　seems　all　wiped　out。　　I　forgive　you；　my　poor　fellow；　and　I　hope　God　will　forgive　you　too。〃

〃Nay。　　He　is　not　so　soft　as　thou。　　This　is　how　He　forgives　me。　　But　I　knew　no　better。　　Old　gal；　learn　the　young　'un　to　read；　that's　coming　just　as　I'm　going；　it　is　sore　against　a　chap　if　he　can't　read。　　Right　and　wrong　dn　'em；　they　are　locked　up　in　books；　I　think：　locked　away　from　a　chap　like　me。　　I　know　a　little　better　now。　But；　eh；　dear；　dear；　it　is　come　too　late。〃　　And　now　the　poor　wretch　began　to　cry　at　a　gleam　of　knowledge　of　right　and　wrong　having　come　to　him　only　just　when　he　could　no　longer　profit　by　it。

Henry　left　him　at　last；　with　the　tears　in　his　eyes。　　He　promised　them　all　to　come　every　day。

He　called　on　Dr。　Amboyne；　and　said；　〃You　are　always　right；　doctor。　Simmons　was　the　man；　he　has　owned　it；　and　I　forgave　him。〃

He　then　went　and　told　Mr。　Holdfast。　　That　gentleman　was　much　pleased　at　the　discovery；　and　said；　〃Ah；　but　who　employed　him？　　That　is　what　you　must　discover。〃

〃I　will　try；〃　said　Henry。　　〃The　poor　fellow　had　half　a　mind　to　make　a　clean　breast；　but　I　didn't　like　to　worry　him　over　it。〃

Returning　home　he　fell　in　with　Grotait　and　Parkin。　　They　were　talking　earnestly　at　the　door　of　a　public…house；　and　the　question　they　were　discussing　was　whether　or　not　Little's　affair　should　be　revived。

They　were　both　a　good　deal　staggered　by　the　fate　of　Simmons；　Parkin　especially；　who　was　rather　superstitious。　　He　had　changed　sides；　and　was　now　inclined　to　connive；　or；　at　all　events　to　temporize；　to　abandon　the　matter　till　a　more　convenient　time。　　Grotait；　on　the　other　hand；　whose　vanity　the　young　man　had　irritated；　was　bent　on　dismounting　his　forge。　　But　even　he　had　cooled　a　little；　and　was　now　disinclined　to　violence。　　He　suggested　that　it　must　be　easy　to　drive　a　smith　out　of　a　church；　by　going　to　the　parochial　authorities；　and　they　could　also　send　Little　an　anonymous　letter；　to　tell　him　the　Trades　had　their　eyes　on　him；　by　this　double　stroke；　they　would　probably　bring　him　to　some　reasonable　terms。

It　certainly　was　a　most　unfortunate　thing　that　Little　passed　that　way　just　then；　unfortunate　that　Youth　is　so　impetuous。

He　crossed　the　street　to　speak　to　these　two　potentates；　whom　it　was　his　interest　to　let　aloneif　he　could　only　have　known　it。

〃Well；　gentlemen；　have　you　seen　Simmons？〃

〃No；〃　said　Mr。　Parkin。

〃What；　not　been　to　see　the　poor　fellow　who　owes　his　death　to　you？〃

〃He　is　not　dead　yet。〃

〃No；　thank　Heaven！　　He　has　got　a　good　work　to　do　first；　some　hypocrites；　assassins；　and　cowards　to　expose。〃

Parkin　turned　pale；　Grotait's　eye　glistened　like　a　snake's：　he　made　Parkin　a　rapid　signal　to　say　nothing；　but　only　listen。

〃He　has　begun　by　telling　me　who　it　was　that　put　gunpowder　into　my　forge；　and　how　it　was　done。　　I　have　forgiven　him。　　He　was　only　the　tool　of　much　worse　villains；　base；　cowardly；　sneaking　villains。　Those　I　shall　not　forgive。　　Oh；　I　shall　know　all　about　it　before　long。　　Good…morning。〃

This　information　and　threat；　and　the　vindictive　bitterness　and　resolution　with　which　the　young　man　had　delivered　it；　struck　terror　into　the　gentle　Parkin；　and　shook　even　Grotait。　　The　latter；　however；　soon　recovered　himself；　and　it　became　a　battle　for　life　or　death　between　him　and　Little。

He　invited　Parkin　to　his　own　place；　and　there　the　pair　sat　closeted。

Dan　Tucker　and　Sam　Cole　were　sent　for。

Tucker　came　first。　　He　was　instantly　dispatched　to　Simmons；　with　money　from　the　Saw　Grinders'　box。　　He　was　to　ascertain　how　much　Simmons　had　let　out；　and　to　adjure　him　to　be　true　to　the　Trade；　and　split　on　no　man　but　himself。　　When　he　had　been　gone　about　twenty　minutes；　Sam　Cole　came　in；　and　was　instructed　to　get　two　other　men　in　place　of　Simmons；　and　be　in　readiness　to　do　Little。

By…and…by　Tucker　returned　with　news。　　Simmons　had　at　present　split　only　on　himself；　but　the　women　were　evidently　in　love　with　Little；　said　he　was　their　only　friend；　and　he；　Tucker；　foresaw　that；　with　their　co…operation；　Simmons　would　be　turned　inside　out　by　Little　before　he　died。

Grotait　struck　his　hand　on　the　table。　　〃The　Unions　are　in　danger；〃　said　he。　　〃There　is　but　one　way；　Little　must　be　made　so　that　he　can't　leave　Cairnhope　while　Simmons　is　alive。〃

So　important　did　the　crisis　appear　to　him；　that　he　insisted　on　Parkin　going　with　him　at　once　to　Cairnhope；　to　reconnoiter　the　ground。

Parkin　had　a　gig　and　a　fast　horse：　so；　in　ten　minutes　more；　they　were　on　the　road。

They　reached　Cairnhope；　put　up　at　the　village　inn；　and　soon　extracted　some　particulars　about　the　church。　　They　went　up　to　it；　and　examined　it；　and　Grotait　gave　Parkin　a　leg　up；　to　peer　through　the　window。

In　this　position　they　were　nailed　by　old　George。

〃What　be　you　at？〃

〃What　is　that　to　you？〃　said　Grotait。

〃It　is　plenty。　　You　mustn't　come　trespassing　here。　　Squire　won't　have　it。〃

〃Trespassing　in　a　churchyard！　　Why　it　belongs　to　all　the　world。〃

〃Nay；　this　one　belongs　to　the　Lord　o'　the　manor。〃

〃Well；　we　won't　hurt　your　church。　　Who　keeps　the　key？〃

〃Squire　Raby。〃

Old　George　from　this　moment　followed　them　about　everywhere；　grumbling　at　their　heels；　like　a　mastiff。

Grotait；　however；　treated　him　with　cool　contempt；　and　proceeded　to　make　a　sketch　of　the　door；　and　a　little　map　showing　how　the　church　could　be　approached　from　Hillsborough　on　foot　without　passing　through　Cairnhope　village。　　This　done；　he　went　back　with　Parkin　to　the　inn；　and　thence　to　Hillsborough。

It　was　old　Christmas　Eve。　　Henry　was　working　at　his　forge；　little　dreaming　of　danger。　　Yet　it　was　close　at　hand；　and　from　two　distinct　quarters。

Four　men；　with　crape　masks；　and　provided　with　all　manner　of　tools；　and　armed　with　bludgeons；　were　creeping　about　the　churchyard；　examining　and　listening。　　Their　orders　were　to　make　Little　so　that　he　should　not　leave　Cairnhope　for　a　month。　　And　that；　in　plain　English；　meant　to　beat　him　within　an　inch　of　his　life；　if　not　kill　him。

At　the　same　time；　a　body　of　nine　men　were　stealing　up　the　road；　with　designs　scarcely　less　hostile　to　Little。

These　assailants　were　as　yet　at　a　considerable　distance；　but　more　formidable　in　appearance　than　the　others　being　most　of　them　armed　with　swords；　and　led　by　a　man　with　a　double…barreled　gun。

Grotait's　men；　having　well　surveyed　the　ground；　now　crept　softly　up　to　the　porch；　and　examined　the　lock。

The　key　was　inside；　and　they　saw　no　means　of　forcing　the　lock　without　making　a　noise；　and　putting　their　victim　on　his　guard。

After　a　long　whispered　consultation；　they　resolved　to　unscrew　the　hinges。

These　hinges　were　of　great　length；　and　were　nailed　upon　the　door；　but　screwed　into　the　door…post　with　four　screws　each。

Two　men；　with　excellent　tools；　and　masters　of　the　business；　went　softly　to　work。　　One　stood；　and　worked　on　the　upper　screws；　the　other　kneeled；　and　unfastened　the　lower　screws。

They　made　no　more　noise　than　a　rat　gnawing；　yet；　such　was　their　caution；　and　determination　to　surprise　their　victim；　that　they　timed　all　their　work　by　Little's。　　Whenever　the　blows　of　his　hammer　intermitted；　they　left　off；　and　began　again　when　he　did。

When　all　the　screws　were　out　but　two；　one　above；　one　below；　they　beckoned　the　other　two　men；　and　these　two　drove　large　gimlets　into　the　door；　and　so　held　it　that　it　might　not　fall　forward　when　the　last　screw　should　come　out。

〃Are　all　screws　out？〃　whispered　Cole；　who　was　the　leader。

〃Ay；〃　was　the　whispered　reply。

〃Then　put　in　two　more　gimlets。〃

That　was　done。

〃Now；　men；〃　whispered　Cole。　　〃Lay　the　door　softly　down　outside：　then；　up　sticksinto　churchand　DO　HIM！〃


CHAPTER　XIII。


If　Mr。　Coventry；　before　he　set　all　this　mischief　moving；　could　have　seen　the　INSIDE　of　Grace　Carden's　letter　to　Henry　Little！


〃DEAR　MR。　LITTLE；I　do　not　know　whether　I　ought　to　write　to　you　at　all；　nor　whether　it　is　delicate　of　me　to　say　what　I　am　going；　but　you　have　saved　my　life；　and　I　do　so　want　to　do　all　I　can　to　atone　for　the　pain　I　have　given　you；　who　have　been　so　good　to　me。　　I　am　afraid　you　will　never　know　happiness；　if　you　waste　your　invaluable　life　longing　after　what　is　impossible。　　There　is　an　impassable　barrier　between　you　and　me。　　But　you　might　be　happy　if　you　would　condescend　to　take　my　advice；　and　let　yourself　see　the　beauty　and　the　goodness　of　another。　　The　person　who　bears　this　letter　comes　nearer　to　perfection　than　any　other　woman　I　ever　saw。　　If　you　would　trust　my　judgment　（and；　believe　me；　I　am　not　to　be　mistaken　in　one　of　my　own　sex）；　if　you　could　turn　your　heart　toward　her；　she　would　make　you　very　happy。　　I　am　sure　she　could　love　you　devotedly；　if　she　only　heard　those　words　from　your　lips；　which　every　woman　requires　to　hear　before　she　surrenders　her　affections。　　Pray　do　not　be　angry　with　me；　pray　do　not　think　it　cost　me　little　to　give　this　strange　but　honest　advice　to　one　I　admire　so。　　But　I　feel　it　would　be