put yourself in his place-第74部分

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Henry　appreciated　this　proposal；　and　said　there　were　plenty　of　things　she　could　do；　she　could　hone；　she　could　pack；　she　could　superintend；　and　keep　the　girls　from　gabbling；　〃That；〃　said　he；　〃is　the　real　thing　that　keeps　them　behind　the　men　at　work。〃

So　Jael　Dence　lodged　with　a　female　cousin　in　Hillsborough；　and　filled　a　position　of　trust　in　the　factory　of　Bolt　and　Little：　she　packed；　and　superintended；　and　the　foreman　paid　her　thirty　shillings　a　week。　　The　first　time　this　was　tendered　her　she　said　severely；　〃Is　this　right；　young　man？〃　meaning；　〃Is　it　not　too　much？〃

〃Oh；　you　will　be　raised　if　you　stay　with　us　three　months。〃

〃Raised？〃　said　the　virtuous　rustic！　　Then；　looking　loftily　round　on　the　other　women；　〃What　ever　do　these　factory　folk　find　to　grumble　at？〃

Henry　told　Grace　all　about　this；　and　she　said；　rather　eagerly；　〃Ah；　I　am　glad　of　that。　　You'll　have　a　good　watch…dog。〃

It　was　a　shrewd　speech。　　The　young　woman　soon　found　out　that　Little　was　really　in　danger；　and　she　was　all　eyes　and　ears；　and　no　tongue。

Yet　neither　her　watchfulness；　nor　Ransome's；　prevailed　entirely　against　the　deviltries　of　the　offended　Union。　　Machinery　was　always　breaking　down　by　pure　accident；　so　everybody　swore；　and　nobody　believed：　the　water　was　all　let　out　of　the　boiler；　and　the　boiler　burst。　　Bands　were　no　longer　taken　but　they　were　cut。　　And；　in　short；　the　works　seemed　to　be　under　a　curse。

And；　lest　the　true　origin　of　all　these　mishaps　should　be　doubted；　each　annoyance　was　followed　by　an　anonymous　letter。　　These　were　generally　sent　to　Little。　　A　single　sentence　will　indicate　the　general　tone　of　each。

1。　　〃All　these　are　but　friendly　warnings；　to　save　your　life　if　possible。〃

2。　　〃I　never　give　in。　　I　fight　to　death；　and　with　more　craft　and　duplicity　than　Bolt　and　Ransome。　　They　will　never　save　you　from　me；　if　you　persist。　　Ask　others　whether　I　ever　failed　to　keep　my　word。〃

3。　　〃If　I　but　move　my　finger；　you　are　sent　into　eternity。〃

Henry　Little's　nerve　began　to　give　way　more　and　more。

Meantime　Cole　met　Mr。　Coventry；　and　told　him　what　was　going　on　beneath　the　surface：　at　the　same　time　he　expressed　his　surprise　at　the　extraordinary　forbearance　shown　by　the　Union。　　〃Grotait　is　turning　soft；　I　think。　　He　will　not　give　the　word　to　burn　Sebastopol。〃

〃Then　do　it　without　him。〃

Cole　shook　his　head；　and　said　he　daren't。　　But；　after　some　reflection；　he　said　there　was　a　mate　of　his　who　was　not　so　dependent　on　Grotait：　he　might　be　tempted　perhaps　to　do　something　on　his　own　hook；　Little　being　wrong　with　the　trade；　and　threatened。　　〃How　much　would　you　stand？〃

〃How　far　would　your　friend　go？〃

〃I'll　ask　him。〃

Next　day　Cole　walked　coolly　into　the　factory　at　dinner…time　and　had　a　conversation　with　Hill；　one　of　the　workmen；　who　he　knew　was　acting　for　the　Union；　and　a　traitor　in　his　employers'　camp。　　He　made　Hill　a　proposal。　　Hill　said　it　was　a　very　serious　thing；　he　would　think　of　it；　and　meet　him　at　a　certain　safe　place　and　tell　him。

Cole　strolled　out　of　the　works；　but　not　unobserved。　　Jael　Dence　had　made　it　her　business　to　know　every　man　in　the　factory　by　sight；　and　observing；　from　a　window；　a　stranger　in　conversation　with　Hill；　she　came　down　and　met　Cole　at　the　gate。　　She　started　at　sight　of　him：　he　did　not　exactly　recognize　her；　but；　seeing　danger　in　her　eye；　took　to　his　heels；　and　ran　for　it　like　a　deer：　but　Jael　called　to　some　of　the　men　to　follow　him；　but　nobody　moved。　　They　guessed　it　was　a　Union　matter。　　Jael　ran　to　Little；　and　told　him　that　villain；　who　had　escaped　from　Raby　Hall；　had　been　in　the　works　colloguing　with　one　of　the　men。

Ransome　was　sent　for；　and　Cole　described　to　him。

As　for　Hill；　Jael　watched　him　like　a　cat　from　that　hour；　since　a　man　is　known　by　his　friends。　　She　went　so　far　as　to　follow　him　home　every　evening。

Cole　got　fifty　pounds　out　of　Coventry　for　Hill；　and　promised　him　twenty。　　For　this　sum　Hill　agreed　to　do　Little。　　But　he　demanded　some　time　to　become　proficient　in　the　weapon　he　meant　to　use。

During　the　interval　events　were　not　idle。　　A　policeman　saw　a　cutter　and　a　disguised　gentleman　talking　together；　and　told　Ransome。　　He　set　spies　to　discover；　if　possible；　what　that　might　mean。

One　day　the　obnoxious　machines　were　stopped　by　an　ACCIDENT　to　the　machinery；　and　Little　told　Jael　this；　and　said；　〃Have　you　a　mind　to　earn　five　pound　a　week？〃

〃Ay；　if　I　could　do　it　honestly？〃

〃Let　us　see　the　arm　that　flung　Phil　Davis　down…stairs。〃

Jael　colored　a　little；　but　bared　her　left　arm　at　command。

〃Good　heavens！〃　cried　Little。　〃What　a　limb！　　Why　mine　is　a　shrimp　compared　with　it。〃

〃Ay；　mine　has　the　bulk；　but　yours　the　pith。〃

〃Oh；　come；　if　your　left　arm　did　that；　what　must　your　right　be？〃

〃Oh；〃　said　Jael；　〃you　men　do　every　thing　with　your　right　hand；　but　we　lasses　know　no　odds。　　My　left　is　as　strong　as　my　right；　and　both　at　your　service。〃

〃Then　come　along　with　me。〃

He　took　her　into　the　〃Experiment　Room；〃　explained　the　machine　to　her；　gave　her　a　lesson　or　two；　and　so　simple　was　the　business　that　she　soon　mastered　her　part　of　it；　and　Little　with　his　coat　off；　and　Jael；　with　her　noble　arms　bare；　ground　long　saws　together　secretly；　and　Little；　with　Bolt's　consent；　charged　the　firm　by　the　gross。　　He　received　twenty…four　pounds　per　week；　out　of　which　he　paid　Jael　six；　in　spite　of　her　〃How　can　a　lass's　work　be　worth　all　that？〃　and　similar　remonstrances。

Being　now　once　more　a　workman；　and　working　with　this　loyal　lass　so　many　hours　a　day；　his　spirits　rose　a　little；　and　his　nerves　began　to　recover　their　tone。

But　meantime　Hill　was　maturing　his　dark　design。

In　going　home；　Little　passed　through　one　place　he　never　much　liked；　it　was　a　longish　close；　with　two　sharp　rectangular　turns。

Since　he　was　threatened　by　the　trade；　he　never　entered　this　close　without　looking　behind　him。　　He　did　not　much　fear　an　attack　in　front；　being　always　armed　with　pistols　now。

On　a　certain　night　he　came　to　this　place　as　usual；　went　as　far　as　the　first　turn；　then　looked　sharply　round　to　see　if　he　was　followed；　but　there　was　nobody　behind　except　a　woman；　who　was　just　entering　the　court。　　So　he　went　on。

But　a　little　way　down　this　close　was　a　small　public…house；　and　the　passage…door　was　ajar；　and　a　man　watching。　　No　sooner　was　Little　out　of　sight　than　he　emerged；　and　followed　him　swiftly　on　tiptoe。

The　man　had　in　his　hand　a　weapon　that　none　but　a　Hillsborough　cutler　would　have　thought　of；　yet；　as　usual；　it　was　very　fit　for　the　purpose；　being　noiseless　and　dangerous；　though　old…fashioned。　　It　was　a　long　strong　bow；　all　made　of　yew…tree。　　The　man　fitted　an　arrow　to　this；　and　running　lightly　to　the　first　turn；　obtained　a　full　view　of　Little's　retiring　figure；　not　fifteen　yards　distant。

So　well　was　the　place　chosen；　that　he　had　only　to　discharge　his　weapon　and　then　run　back。　　His　victim　could　never　see　him。

He　took　a　deliberate　aim　at　Little's　back；　drew　the　arrow　to　the　head；　and　was　about　to　loose　it；　when　a　woman's　arm　was　flung　round　his　neck。


CHAPTER　XXXII。


Coventry　and　Cole　met　that　night　near　a　little　church。

Hill　was　to　join　them；　and　tell　them　the　result。

Now；　as　it　happens；　Little　went　home　rather　late　that　night；　so　these　confederates　waited；　alternately　hoping　and　fearing；　a　considerable　time。

Presently；　something　mysterious　occurred　that　gave　them　a　chill。　　An　arrow　descended；　as　if　from　the　clouds；　and　stuck　quivering　on　a　grave　not　ten　yards　from　them。　　The　black　and　white　feathers　shone　clear　in　the　moonlight。

To　Coventry　it　seemed　as　if　Heaven　was　retaliating　on　him。

The　more　prosaic　but　quick…witted　cutler；　after　the　first　stupefaction；　suspected　it　was　the　very　arrow　destined　for　Little；　and　said　so。

〃And　Heaven　flings　it　back　to　us；〃　said　Coventry；　and　trembled　in　every　limb。

〃Heaven　has　naught　to　do　in　it。　　The　fool　has　got　drunk；　and　shot　it　in　the　air。　　Anyway；　it　mustn't　stick　there　to　tell　tales。〃

Cole　vaulted　over　the　church…yard　wall；　drew　it　out　of　the　grave；　and　told　Coventry　to　hide　it。

〃Go　you　home；〃　said　he。　　〃I'll　find　out　what　this　means。〃


Hill's　unexpected　assailant　dragged　him　back　so　suddenly　and　violently　that　the　arrow　went　up　at　an　angle　of　forty…five；　and；　as　the　man　loosed　the　string　to　defend　himself；　flew　up　into　the　sky；　and　came　down　full　a　hundred　yards　from　the　place。

Hill　twisted　violently　round　and；　dropping　the　bow；　struck　the　woman　in　the　face　with　his　fist；　he　had　not　room　to　use　all　his　force；　yet　the　blow　covered　her　face　with　blood。　　She　cried　out；　but　gripped　him　so　tight　by　both　shoulders　that　he　could　not　strike　again　but　he　kicked　her　savagely。　　She　screamed；　but　slipped　her　arms　down　and　got　him　tight　round　the　waist。　　Then　he　was　done　for；　with　one　mighty　whirl　she　tore　him　off　his　feet　in　a　moment；　then　dashed　herself　and　him　under　her　to　the　ground　with　such　ponderous　violence　that　his　head　rang　loud　on　the　pavement　and　he　was　stunned　for　a　few　seconds。　　Ere　he　quite　recovered　she　had　him　turned　on　his　face；　and　her　weighty　knee　grinding　down　his　shoulders；　while　her　nimble　hands　whipped　off　her　kerchief　and　tied　his　hands　behind　him　in　a　twinkling。

So　quickly　was　it　all　done；　that　by　the　time　Little　heard　the　scrimmage；　ascertained　it　was　behind　him；　and　came　back　to　see；　she　was　seated　on　her　prisoner；　trembling　and　crying　after　her　athletic　feat；　and　very　little　fit　to　cope　with　the　man　if　he　had　not　been　tied。

Little　took　her　by　the　hands。　　〃Oh；　my　poor　Jael！　　What　is　the　matter？　　Has　the　blackguard　been　insulting　you？〃　　And；　not　waiting　for　an　answer；　gave　him　a　kick　that　made　him　howl　again。

〃Yes；　kill　him；　the　villain！　he　wanted　to　murder　you。　　Oh；　oh；　oh！〃

She　could　say　no　more；　but　became　hysterical。

Henry　supported　her　tenderly；　and　wiped　the　blood　from　her　face；　and　as　several　people　came　up；　and　a　policeman；　he　gave　the　man　in　charge；　on　Jael's　authority；　and　he　was　conveyed　to　the　station　accordingly；　he　and　his　bow。

They　took　Jael　Dence　to　a　chemist's　shop；　and　gave　her　cold　water　and　salts：　the　first　thing　she　did；　when　she　was　quite　herself；　was　to　seize　Henry　Little's　hand　and　kiss　it　with　such　a　look　of　joy　as　brought　tears　into　his　eyes。

Then　she　told　her　story；　and　was　taken　in　a　cab　to　the　police…　office；　and　repeated　her　story　there。

Then　He