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Up　to　this　moment　the　conduct　of　Richard　Martin's　relatives　and　friends　had　been　singularly　apathetic；　but　now　all　was　changed；　they　broke　into　loud　lamentations；　and　he　became　the　best　of　husbands；　best　of　men：　his　lightest　words　were　sacred。　　Robert　Martin　now　remembered　that　〃poor　Dick〃　had　stood　and　looked　into　that　little　church…yard　and　said；　〃If　you　outlive　me；　Bob；　bury　me　in　this　spot；　father　lies　here。〃　　So　Robert　Martin　went　to　the　church…warden；　for　leave　to　do　this　last　sad　office。　　The　church…warden　refused；　very　properly；　but　the　brother's　entreaties；　the　widow's　tears；　the　tragedy　itself；　and　other　influences；　extorted　at　last　a　reluctant　consent；　coupled　with　certain　sanatory　conditions。

The　funeral　was　conducted　unobtrusively；　and　the　grave　dug　out　of　sight　of　Gosshawk。　　But　of　course　it　could　not　long　escape　observation；　that　is　to　say；　it　was　seen　by　the　clerks；　but　the　directors　and　manager　were　all　seated　round　a　great　table　upstairs　absorbed　in　a　vital　question；　viz。；　whether　or　not　the　Gosshawk　should　imitate　some　other　companies；　and　insure　against　fire　as　well　as　death。　　It　was　the　third　and　last　discussion；　the　minority　against　this　new　operation　was　small；　but　obstinate　and　warm；　and　the　majority　so　absorbed　in　bringing　them　to　reason；　that　nobody　went　to　the　window　until　the　vote　had　passed；　and　the　Gosshawk　was　a　Life　and　Fire　Insurance。　　Then　some　of　the　gentlemen　rose　and　stretched　their　legs；　and　detected　the　lugubrious　enormity。　〃Hallo！〃　cried　Mr。　Carden；　and　rang　a　bell。　　Edwards；　an　old　clerk；　appeared；　and；　in　reply　to　Mr。　Carden；　told　him　it　was　one　of　their　losses　being　buriedRichard　Martin。

Mr。　Carden　said　this　was　an　insult　to　the　office；　and　sent　Edwards　out　to　remonstrate。

Edwards　soon　reappeared　with　Robert　Martin；　who　represented；　with　the　utmost　humility；　that　it　was　the　wish　of　the　deceased；　and　they　had　buried　him；　as　ordered；　in　three　feet　of　charcoal。

〃What；　is　the　ceremony　performed？〃

〃Yes；　sir；　all　but　filling　in　the　grave。　　Come　and　see　the　charcoal。〃

〃Hang　the　charcoal！〃

〃Well；〃　said　the　humane　but　somewhat　pompous　director；　〃if　the　ceremony　has　gone　so　farbut；　Mr。　Martin；　this　must　never　recur；　charcoal　or　no　charcoal。〃

Mr。　Martin　promised　it　never　should：　and　was　soon　after　observed　in　the　church…yard　urging　expedition。

The　sad　company　speedily　dispersed；　and　left　nothing　to　offend　nor　disgust　the　Life　and　Fire　Insurance；　except　a　new　grave；　and　a　debt　of　nine　hundred　pounds　to　the　heirs　or　assigns　of　Richard　Martin。

Not　very　far　from　this　church…yard　was　a　public…house；　and　in　that　public…house　a　small　parlor　upstairs；　and　in　that　parlor　a　man；　who　watched　the　funeral　rites　with　great　interest；　but　not　in　a　becoming　spirit；　for　his　eyes　twinkled　with　the　intensest　merriment　all　the　time；　and　at　each　fresh　stage　of　the　mournful　business　he　burst　into　peals　of　laughter。　　Never　was　any　man　so　thoroughly　amused　in　the　City　before；　at　all　events　in　business　hours。

Richard　Martin's　executor　waited　a　decent　time；　and　then　presented　his　claim　to　the　Gosshawk。　　His　brother　proved　a　lien　on　it　for　L300　and　the　rest　went　by　will　to　his　wife。　　The　Gosshawk　paid　the　money　after　the　delay　accorded　by　law。


CHAPTER　XXXI。


Messrs。　Bolt　and　Little　put　their　heads　together；　and　played　a　prudent　game。　　They　kept　the　works　going　for　a　month；　without　doing　anything　novel；　except　what　tended　to　the　health　and　comfort　of　their　workmen。

But；　meantime；　they　cleared　out　two　adjacent　rooms：　one　was　called　the　studio；　the　other　the　experiment…room。

In　due　course　they　hired　a　couple　of　single　men　from　Birmingham　to　work　the　machine　under　lock　and　key。

Little　with　his　own　hands；　affected　an　aperture　in　the　party…wall；　and　thus　conveyed　long　saws　from　his　studio　to　the　machine；　and　received　them　back　ground。

Then　men　were　lodged　three　miles　off；　were　always　kept　at　work　half　an　hour　later　than　the　others；　and　received　six　pounds　per　week　apiece；　on　pain　of　instant　dismissal　should　they　breathe　a　syllable。　They　did　the　work　of　twenty…four　men；　so　even　at　that　high　rate　of　wages；　the　profit　was　surprising。　　It　actually　went　beyond　the　inventor's　calculation；　and　he　saw　himself　at　last　on　the　road　to　rapid　fortune；　and；　above　all；　to　Grace　Carden。

This　success　excited　Bolt's　cupidity；　and　he　refused　to　contract　the　operation　any　longer。

Then　the　partners　had　a　quarrel；　and　nearly　dissolved。　　However；　it　ended　in　Little　dismissing　his　Birmingham　hands　and　locking　up　his　〃experiment…room；〃　and　in　Bolt　openly　devoting　another　room　to　the　machines：　two　long；　two　circular。

These　machines　coined　money；　and　Bolt　chuckled　and　laughed　at　his　partner's　apprehensions　for　the　space　of　twenty…one　days。

On　the　twenty…second　day；　the　Saw…grinders'　Union；　which　had　been　stupefied　at　first；　but　had　now　realized　the　situation；　sent　Messrs。　Bolt　and　Little　a　letter；　civil　and　even　humble；　it　spoke　of　the　new　invention　as　one　that；　if　adopted；　would　destroy　their　handicraft；　and　starve　the　craftsmen　and　their　families；　and　expressed　an　earnest　hope　that　a　firm　which　had　shown　so　much　regard　for　the　health　and　comfort　of　the　workmen　would　not　persist　in　a　fatal　course；　on　which　they　had　entered　innocently　and　for　want　of　practical　advice。

The　partners　read　this　note　differently。　　Bolt　saw　timidity　in　it。　Little　saw　a　conviction；　and　a　quiet　resolution；　that　foreboded　a　stern　contest。

No　reply　was　sent；　and　the　machines　went　on　coining。

Then　came　a　warning　to　Little；　not　violent；　but　short；　and　rather　grim。　　Little　took　it　to　Bolt；　and　he　treated　it　with　contempt。

Two　days　afterward　the　wheel…bands　vanished；　and　the　obnoxious　machines　stood　still。

Little　was　for　going　to　Grotait；　to　try　and　come　to　terms。　　Bolt　declined。　　He　bought　new　bands；　and　next　day　the　machines　went　on　again。

This　pertinacity　soon　elicited　a　curious　epistle：


〃MESSRS。　BOLT　AND　LITTLE；When　the　blood　is　in　an　impure　state；　brimstone　and　treacle　is　applied　as　a　mild　purgative；　our　taking　the　bands　was　the　mild　remedy；　but；　should　the　seat　of　disease　not　be　reached；　we　shall　take　away　the　treacle；　and　add　to　the　brimstone　a　necessary　quantity　of　saltpetre　and　charcoal。

〃TANTIA　TOPEE。〃


On　receipt　of　this；　Little；　who　had　tasted　the　last…mentioned　drugs；　showed　such　undisguised　anxiety　that　Bolt　sent　for　Ransome。　　He　came　directly；　and　was　closeted　with　the　firm。　　Bolt　handed　him　the　letters；　told　him　the　case；　and　begged　leave　to　put　him　a　question。　〃Is　the　police　worth　any　thing；　or　nothing；　in　this　here　town？〃

〃It　is　worth　something；　I　hope；　gentlemen。〃

〃How　much；　I　wonder？　　Of　all　the　bands　that　have　been　stolen；　and　all　the　people　that　have　been　blown　up；　and　scorched　and　vitrioled；　and　shot　at；　and　shot；　by　Union　men；　did　ever　you　and　your　bobbies　nail　a　single　malefactor？〃

Now　Mr。　Ransome　was　a　very　tall　man；　with　a　handsome；　dignified　head；　a　long　black　beard；　and　pleasant；　dignified　manners。　　When　short；　round；　vulgar　Mr。　Bolt　addressed　him　thus；　it　really　was　like　a　terrier　snapping　at　a　Newfoundland　dog。　　Little　felt　ashamed；　and　said　Mr。　Ransome　had　been　only　a　few　months　in　office　in　the　place。　〃Thank　you；　Mr。　Little；〃　said　the　chief　constable。　　〃Mr　Bolt；　I'll　ask　you　a　favor。　　Meet　me　at　a　certain　place　this　evening；　and　let　me　reply　to　your　question　then　and　there。〃

This　singular　proposal　excited　some　curiosity；　and　the　partners　accepted　the　rendezvous。　　Ransome　came　to　the　minute；　and　took　the　partners　into　the　most　squalid　part　of　this　foul　city。　　At　the　corner　of　a　narrow　street　he　stepped　and　gave　a　low　whistle。　　A　policeman　in　plain　clothes　came　to　him　directly。

〃They　are　both　in　the　'Spotted　Dog；'　sir；　with　half　a　dozen　more。〃

〃Follow　me；　and　guard　the　door。　　Will　you　come；　too；　gentlemen？〃

The　〃Spotted　Dog〃　was　a　low　public；　with　one　large　room　and　a　sanded　floor。　　Mr。　Ransome　walked　in　and　left　the　door　open；　so　that　his　three　companions　heard　and　saw　all　that　passed。

〃Holland　and　Cheetham；　you　are　wanted。〃

〃What　for？〃

〃Wilde's　affair。　　He　has　come　to　himself；　and　given　us　your　names。〃

On　this　the　two　men　started　up　and　were　making　for　the　door。　Ransome　whipped　before　it。　　〃That　won't　do。〃

Then　there　was　a　loud　clatter　of　rising　feet；　oaths；　threats；　and　even　a　knife　or　two　drawn；　and；　in　the　midst　of　it　all；　the　ominous　click　of　a　pistol；　and　then　dead　silence；　for　it　was　Ransome　who　had　produced　that　weapon。　　〃Come；　no　nonsense；〃　said　he。　　〃Door's　guarded；　street's　guarded；　and　I'm　not　to　be　trifled　with。〃

He　then　handed　his　pistol　to　the　officer　outside　with　an　order；　and；　stepping　back　suddenly；　collared　Messrs。　Holland　and　Cheetham　with　one　movement；　and；　with　a　powerful　rush；　carried　them　out　of　the　house　in　his　clutches。　　Meantime　the　policeman　had　whistled；　there　was　a　conflux　of　bobbies；　and　the　culprits　were　handcuffed　and　marched　off　to　the　Town　Hall。

〃Five　years'　penal　servitude　for　that　little　lot；〃　said　Ransome。

〃And　now；　Mr。　Bolt；　I　have　answered　your　question　to　the　best　of　my　ability。〃

〃You　have　answered　it　like　a　man。　　Will　you　do　as　much　for　us？〃

〃I'll　do　my　best。　　Let　me　examine　the　place　now　that　none　of　them　are　about。〃

Bolt　and　Ransome　went　together；　but　Little　went　home：　he　had　an　anxiety　even　more　pressing；　his　mother's　declining　health。　　She　had　taken　to　pining　and　fretting　ever　since　Dr。　Amboyne　brought　the　bad　news　from　Cairnhope；　and　now；　instead　of　soothing　and　consoling　her　son；　she　needed　those　kind　offices　from　him；　and；　I　am　happy　to　say；　she　received　them。　　He　never　spent　an　evening　away　from　her。　Unfortunately　he　did　not　succeed　in　keeping　up　her　spirits；　and　the　sight　of　her　lowered　his　own。

At　this　period　Grace　Carden　was　unmixed　comfort　to　him；　she　encouraged　him　to　encroach　a　little；　and　visit　her　twice　a　week　instead　of　once；　and　she　coaxed　him　to　confide　all　his　troubles　to　her。　　He　did　so；　he　concealed　from　his　mother　that　he　was　at　war　with　the　trade　again；　but　he　told　Grace　everything；　and　her　tender　sympathy　was　the　balm　of　his　life。　　She　used　to　put　on　cheerfulness　for　his　sake；　even　when　she　felt　it　least。

One　day；　however；　he　found　her　less　bright　than　usual；　and　she　showed　him　an　advertisementBollinghope　house　and　park　for　sale；　and　she　was　not　old