put yourself in his place-第49部分

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〃Where　Squire　told　us　to　put　him；　sir。〃

〃No　chance　of　his　escapingI　hope？〃

〃Not　he；　sir。

〃I　should　like　to　take　a　look　at　him。〃

Knight　demurred。　　〃Well；　sir；　you　see　the　orders　arebut；　of　course；　master　won't　mind　you。　　I'll　speak　to　him。〃

〃No；　it　is　not　worth　while。　　I　am　only　anxious　the　villain　should　be　secure。〃　　This　of　course　was　a　feeler。

〃Oh；　there's　no　fear　of　that。　　Why；　he　is　in　the　strong　room。　　It's　right　above　yours。　　If　you'll　come　with　me；　sir；　I'll　show　you　the　door。〃　　Coventry　accompanied　him；　and　Thomas　Knight　showed　him　a　strong　door　with　two　enormous　bolts　outside；　both　shot。

Coventry　felt　despair；　and　affected　satisfaction。

Then；　after　a　pause；　he　said；　〃But　is　the　window　equally　secure？〃

〃Two　iron　bars　almost　as　thick　as　these　bolts：　and；　if　it　stood　open；　what　could　he　do　but　break　his　neck；　and　cheat　the　gallows？　He　is　all　right；　sir；　never　you　fear。　　We　sarched　him　from　head　to　foot；　and　found　no　eend　o'　tools　in　his　pockets。　　He　is　a　deep　'un。　But　we　are　Yorkshire　too；　as　the　saying　is。　　He　goes　to　Hillsbro'　town…hall　to…morrow；　and　glad　to　be　shut　on　him。〃

Coventry　complimented　him；　and　agreed　with　him　that　escape　was　impossible。

He　then　got　a　light；　and　went　to　his　own　bedroom；　and　sat　down；　cold　at　heart；　before　the　fire。

He　sat　in　that　state；　till　two　o'clock　in　the　morning；　distracting　his　brain　with　schemes；　that　were　invented　only　to　be　dismissed　as　idle。

At　last　an　idea　came　to　him。　　He　took　his　fishing…rod；　and　put　the　thinner　joints　together；　and　laid　them　on　the　bed。　　He　then　opened　his　window　very　cautiously。　　But　as　that　made　some　noise；　he　remained　quite　quiet　for　full　ten　minutes。　　Then　he　got　upon　the　window…seat；　and　passed　the　fishing　rod　out。　　After　one　or　two　attempts　he　struck　the　window　above；　with　the　fine　end。

Instantly　he　heard　a　movement　above；　and　a　window　cautiously　opened。

He　gave　a　low　〃Hem！〃

〃Who's　that？〃　whispered　the　prisoner；　from　above。

〃A　man　who　wants　you　to　escape。〃

〃Nay；　but　I　have　no　tools。〃

〃What　do　you　require？〃

〃I　think　I　could　do　summut　with　a　screw…driver。〃

〃I'll　send　you　one　up。〃

The　next　minute　a　couple　of　small　screw…drivers　were　passed　uppart　of　the　furniture　of　his　gun。

Cole　worked　hard；　but　silently；　for　about　an　hour；　and　then　he　whispered　down　that　he　should　be　able　to　get　a　bar　out。　　But　how　high　was　it　from　the　ground？

〃About　forty　feet。〃

Coventry　heard　the　man　actually　groan　at　the　intelligence。

〃Let　yourself　down　on　my　window…sill。　　I　can　find　you　rope　enough　for　that。〃

〃What；　d'ye　take　me　for　a　bird；　that　can　light　of　a　gate？〃

〃But　the　sill　is　solid　stone；　and　full　a　foot　wide。〃

〃Say　ye　so；　lad？　　Then　luck　is　o'　my　side。　　Send　up　rope。〃

The　rope　was　sent　up；　and　presently　was　fast　to　something　above　and　dangled　down　a　little　past　the　window…sill。

〃Put　out　a　light　on　sill；〃　whispered　the　voice　above。

〃I　will。〃

Then　there　was　a　long　silence；　during　which　Coventry's　blood　ran　cold。

As　nothing　further　occurred；　he　whispered；　〃What　is　the　matter？〃

〃My　stomach　fails　me。　　Send　me　up　a　drop　of　brandy；　will　ye？　　Eh；　man；　but　this　is　queer　work。〃

〃I　can't　get　it　up　to　you；　you　must　drink　it　here。　　Come；　think！　　It　will　be　five　years'　penal　servitude　if　you　don't。〃

〃Is　the　rope　long　enough？〃

〃Plenty　for　that。〃

Then　there　was　another　awful　silence。

By…and…by　a　man's　legs　came　dangling　down；　and　Cole　landed　on　the　sill；　still　holding　tight　by　the　rope。　　He　swung　down　on　the　sill；　and　slid　into　the　room；　perspiring　and　white　with　fear。

Coventry　gave　him　some　brandy　directly；Cole's　trembling　hand　sent　it　flying　down　his　throat；　and　the　two　men　stared　at　each　ether。

〃Why；　it　is　a　gentleman！〃

〃Yes。〃

〃And　do　you　really　mean　to　see　me　clear？〃

〃Drink　a　little　more　brandy；　and　recover　yourself；　and　then　I'll　tell　you。〃

When　the　man　was　fortified　and　ready　for　fresh　exertions；　Coventry　told　him　he　must　try　and　slip　out　of　the　house　at　the　front　door：　he　would　lend　him　a　feather　and　some　oil　to　apply　to　the　bolts　if　necessary。

When　the　plan　of　operation　was　settled；　Coventry　asked　him　how　long　it　would　take　him　to　get　to　Hillsborough。

〃I　can　run　it　in　two　hours。〃

〃Then　if　I　give　the　alarm　in　an　hour　and　a　half；　it　won't　hurt。〃

〃Give　me　that　start　and　you　may　send　bloodhounds　on　my　heels；　they'll　never　catch　me。〃

〃Now　take　off　your　shoes。〃

While　he　was　taking　them　off；　Cole　eyed　his　unexpected　friend　very　keenly；　and　took　stock　of　all　his　features。

When　he　was　ready；　Coventry　opened　his　door　very　carefully；　and　placed　a　light　so　as　to　be　of　some　use　to　the　fugitive。　　Cole　descended　the　stairs　like　a　cat；　and　soon　found　the　heavy　bolts　and　drew　them；　then　slipped　out　into　the　night；　and　away；　with　fleet　foot　and　wondering　heart；　to　Hillsborough。

Coventry　put　out　his　light　and　slipped　into　bed。

About　four　o'clock　in　the　morning　the　whole　house　was　alarmed　with　loud　cries；　followed　by　two　pistol…shots：　and　all　those　who　ran　out　of　their　bedrooms　at　all　promptly；　found　Coventry　in　his　nightgown　and　trowsers；　with　a　smoking　pistol　in　his　hand；　which　he　said　he　had　discharged　at　a　robber。　　The　account　he　gave　was；　that　he　had　been　suddenly　awakened　by　hearing　his　door　shut；　and　found　his　window　open；　had　slipped　on　his　trowsers；　got　to　his　pistols；　and　run　out　just　in　time　to　see　a　man　opening　the　great　front　door：　had　fired　twice　at　him；　and　thought　he　must　have　hit　him　the　second　time。

On　examining　the　window　the　rope　was　found　dangling。

Instantly　there　was　a　rush　to　the　strong…room。

The　bird　was　flown。

〃Ah！〃　said　Coventry。　　〃I　felt　there　ought　to　be　some　one　with　him；　but　I　didn't　like　to　interfere。〃

George　the　groom　and　another　were　mounted　on　swift　horses；　and　took　the　road　to　Hillsborough。

But　Cole；　with　his　start　of　a　hundred　minutes；　was　safe　in　a　back　slum　before　they　got　half　way。

What　puzzled　the　servants　most　was　how　Cole　could　have　unscrewed　the　bar；　and　where　he　could　have　obtained　the　cord。　　And　while　they　were　twisting　this　matter　every　way　in　hot　discussion；　Coventry　quaked；　for　he　feared　his　little　gunscrews　would　be　discovered。　　But　no；　they　were　not　in　the　room。

It　was　a　great　mystery；　but　Raby　said　they　ought　to　have　searched　the　man's　body　as　well　as　his　pockets。

He　locked　the　cord　up；　however；　and　remarked　it　was　a　new　one；　and　had　probably　been　bought　in　Hillsborough。　　He　would　try　and　learn　where。

At　breakfast…time　a　bullet　was　found　in　the　door。　　Coventry　apologized。

〃Your　mistake　was　missing　the　man；　not　hitting　the　door；〃　said　Raby。　〃One　comfort；　I　tickled　the　fellow　with　small　shot。　　It　shall　be　slugs　next　time。　　All　we　can　do　now　is　to　lay　the　matter　before　the　police。　　I　must　go　into　Hillsborough；　I　suppose。〃

He　went　into　Hillsborough　accordingly；　and　told　the　chief　constable　the　whole　story；　and　deposited　the　piece　of　cord　with　him。　　He　found　that　zealous　officer　already　acquainted　with　the　outline　of　the　business；　and　on　his　mettle　to　discover　the　authors　and　agents　of　the　outrage；　if　possible。　　And　it　occurred　to　his　sagacity　that　there　was　at　this　moment　a　workman　in　Hillsborough；　who　must　know　many　secrets　of　the　Trades；　and　had　now　nothing　to　gain　by　concealing　them。


CHAPTER　XVIII。


Thus　the　attempt　to　do　Little　was　more　successful　than　it　looks。　Its　object　was　to　keep　Little　and　Simmons　apart；　and　sure　enough　those　two　men　never　met　again　in　life。

But；　on　the　other　hand；　this　new　crime　imbittered　two　able　men　against　the　Union；　and　put　Grotait　in　immediate　peril。　　Mr。　Ransome　conferred　with　Mr。　Holdfast　and　they　both　visited　Simmons；　and　urged　him　to　make　a　clean　breast　before　he　left　the　world。

Simmons　hesitated。　　He　said　repeatedly；　〃Gi'　me　time！　gi'　me　time！〃

Grotait　heard　of　these　visits；　and　was　greatly　alarmed。　　He　set　Dan　Tucker　and　another　to　watch　by　turns　and　report

Messrs。　Holdfast　and　Ransome　had　an　ally　inside　the　house。　　Eliza　Watney　had　come　in　from　another　town；　and　had　no　Hillsborough　prejudices。　　She　was　furious　at　this　new　outrage　on　Little；　who　had　won　her　regard；　and　she　hoped　her　brother…in…law　would　reveal　all　he　knew。　　Such　a　confession；　she　thought；　might　remove　the　stigma　from　himself　to　those　better…educated　persons；　who　had　made　a　tool　of　her　poor　ignorant　relative。

Accordingly　no　sooner　did　the　nurse　Little　had　provided　inform　her；　in　a　low　voice；　that　there　was　A　CHANGE；　than　she　put　on　her　bonnet；　and　went　in　all　haste　to　Mr。　Holdfast；　and　also　to　the　chief　constable；　as　she　had　promised　them　to　do。

But　of　course　she　could　not　go　without　talking。　　She　met　an　acquaintance　not　far　from　the　door；　and　told　her　Ned　was　near　his　end；　and　she　was　going　to　tell　the　gentlemen。

Dan　Tucker　stepped　up　to　this　woman；　and　she　was　as　open…mouthed　to　him　as　Eliza　had　been　to　her。　　Dan　went　directly　with　the　news　to　Grotait。

Grotait　came　all　in　a　hurry；　but　Holdfast　was　there　before　him；　and　was　actually　exhorting　Simmons　to　do　a　good　action　in　his　last　moments；　and　reveal　those　greater　culprits　who　had　employed　him；　when　Grotait；　ill　at　ease；　walked　in；　sat　down　at　the　foot　of　the　bed；　and　fixed　his　eye　on　Simmons。

Simmons　caught　sight　of　him　and　stared；　but　said　nothing　to　him。　Yet；　when　Holdfast　had　done；　Simmons　was　observed　to　look　at　Grotait；　though　he　replied　to　the　other。　　〃If　you　was　a　Hillsbro'　man；　you'd　know　we　tell　on　dead　folk；　but　not　on　quick。　　I　told　on　Ned　Simmons；　because　he　was　as　good　as　dead；　but　to　tell　on　Trade；　that's　different。〃

〃And　I　think；　my　poor　fellow；〃　suggested　Grotait；　smoothly；　〃you　might　spend　your　last　moments　better　in　telling　US　what　you　would　wish　the　Trade　to　do　for　your　wife；　and　the　child　if　it　lives。〃

〃Well；　I　think　ye　might　make　the　old　gal　an　allowance　till　she　marries　again。〃

〃Oh；　Ned！　Ned！〃　cried　the　poor　woman。　　〃I'll　have　no　man　after　thee。〃　And　a　violent　burst　of　grief　followed。

〃Thou'll　do　like　the　rest；〃　said　the　dying　man。　　〃Hold　thy　bellering；　and　let　me　speak；　that's　got　no　time　to　lose。　　How　much　will　ye　allow　her；　old　lad？〃

〃Six　shillings　a　week；　Ned。〃

〃And　what　is　to　come　of　young　'un？〃

〃We'll　apprentice　him。〃

〃To　my　trade？〃

〃You　know　better　than　that；　Ned。　　You　are　a　freeman；　but　he　won't　be　a　freeman's　son　by　our　la