put yourself in his place-第77部分

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ut　with　the　utmost　nicety　to　burn　the　same　length　of　timetwelve　minutes。

But　Cole　was　too　thoughtful　and　wary　to　light　the　fuses　until　everything　was　prepared　for　his　escape。　　He　put　the　ladder　on　board　the　boat；　disposed　the　oars　so　that　he　could　use　them　at　once；　then　crept　to　the　engine…chimney；　kneeled　down　beside　the　fuse；　looked　up　at　the　faint　light　glimmering　above；　and　took　off　his　hat。

With　singular　cunning　and　forethought　he　had　pasted　a　piece　of　sandpaper　into　his　hat。　　By　this　means　he　lighted　a　lucifer　at　once；　and　kept　it　out　of　sight　from　the　windows；　and　also　safe　from　the　weather；　he　drew　the　end　of　the　fuse　into　the　hat；　applied　the　match　to　it　out　of　sight；　then　blew　the　match　out　and　darted　to　his　other　infernal　machine。　　In　less　than　ten　seconds　he　lighted　that　fuse　too；　then　stepped　into　the　boat；　and　left　those　two　devilish　sparks　creeping　each　on　its　fatal　errand。　　He　pulled　away　with　exulting　bosom；　beating　heart；　and　creeping　flesh。　　He　pulled　swiftly　up　stream；　landed　at　the　bridge；　staggered　up　the　steps；　and　found　Coventry　at　his　post；　but　almost　frozen；　and　sick　of　waiting。

He　staggered　up　to　him　and　gasped　out；　〃I've　done　the　trick；　give　me　the　brass；　and　let　me　go。　　I　see　a　halter　in　the　air。〃　　His　teeth　chattered。

But　Coventry；　after　hoping　and　fearing　for　two　hours　and　a　half；　had　lost　all　confidence　in　his　associate；　and　he　said；　〃How　am　I　to　know　you've　done　anything？〃

〃You'll　see　and　you'll　hear；〃　said　Cole。　　〃Give　me　the　brass。〃

〃Wait　till　I　see　and　hear；〃　was　the　reply。

〃What；　wait　to　be　nabbed？　　Another　minute；　and　all　the　town　will　be　out　after　me。　　Give　it　me；　or　I'll　take　it。〃

〃Will　you？〃　　And　Coventry　took　out　a　pistol　and　cocked　it。　　Cole　recoiled。

〃Look　here；〃　said　Coventry；　〃there　are　one　hundred　and　fifty　sovereigns　in　this　bag。　　The　moment　I　receive　proof　you　have　not　deceived　me；　I　give　you　the　bag。〃

〃Here；　where　we　stand？〃

〃Here；　on　this　spot。〃

〃Hush！　not　so　loud。　　Didn't　I　hear　a　step？〃

They　both　listened　keenly。　　The　fog　was　thick　by　this　time。

Cole　whispered；　〃Look　down　the　river。　　I　wonder　which　will　go　off　first？　　It　is　very　cold；　very。〃　　And　he　shook　like　a　man　in　an　ague。

Both　men　listened；　numbed　with　cold；　and　quivering　with　the　expectation　of　crime。

A　clock　struck　twelve。

At　the　first　stroke　the　confederates　started　and　uttered　a　cry。　They　were　in　that　state　when　everything　sudden　shakes　men　like　thunder。

All　still　again；　and　they　listened　and　shook　again　with　fog　and　grime。

Sudden　a　lurid　flash；　and　a　report；　dull　and　heavy；　and　something　tall　seemed　to　lean　toward　them　from　the　sky；　and　there　was　a　mighty　rushing　sound；　and　a　cold　wind　in　their　faces；　and　an　awful　fall　of　masonry　on　the　water；　and　the　water　spurted　under　the　stroke。　　The　great　chimney　had　fallen　in　the　river。　　At　this　very　moment　came　a　sharp；　tremendous　report　like　a　clap　of　thunder　close　at　hand。　　It　was　so　awful；　that　both　bag　and　pistol　fell　out　of　Coventry's　hand　and　rung　upon　the　pavement；　and　he　fled；　terror…stricken。

Cole；　though　frightened；　went　down　on　his　knees；　and　got　the　bag；　and　started　to　run　the　other　way。

But　almost　at　the　first　step　he　ran　against　a　man；　who　was　running　toward　him。

Both　were　staggered　by　the　shock；　and　almost　knocked　down。

But　the　man　recovered　himself　first；　and　seized　Cole　with　a　grip　of　iron。


When　Coventry　had　run　a　few　steps　he　recovered　his　judgment　so　far　as　to　recollect　that　this　would　lay　him　open　to　suspicion。　　He　left　off　running；　and　walked　briskly　instead。

Presently　the　great　door　of　the　works　was　opened；　and　the　porter　appeared　crying　wildly　for　help；　and　that　the　place　was　on　fire。

The　few　people　that　were　about　made　a　rush；　and　Coventry；　driven　by　an　awful　curiosity；　went　in　with　them；　for　why　should　he　be　suspected　any　more　than　they？

He　had　not　gone　in　half　a　minute　when　Mr。　Ransome　arrived　with　several　policemen；　and　closed　the　doors　at　once　against　all　comers。

Strange　to　say；　the　last　explosion　had　rung　the　bell　in　the　police…　office；　hence　this　prompt　appearance　of　the　police。

The　five　or　six　persons　who　got　in　with　Coventry　knew　nothing；　and　ran　hither　and　thither。　　Coventry；　better　informed；　darted　at　once　to　Little's　quarters；　and　there　beheld　an　awful　sight；　the　roof　presented　the　appearance　of　a　sieve：　of　the　second　floor　little　remained　but　a　few　of　the　joists；　and　these　were　most　of　them　broken　and　stood　on　and　across　each　other；　like　a　hedgehog's　bristles。

In　Little's　room；　a　single　beam　in　the　center；　with　a　fragment　of　board；　kept　its　place；　but　the　joists　were　all　dislocated　or　broken　in　two；　and　sticking　up　here　and　there　in　all　directions：　huge　holes　had　been　blown　in　the　walls　of　both　rooms　and　much　of　the　contents　of　the　rooms　blown　out　by　them；　so　vast　were　these　apertures；　that　it　seemed　wonderful　how　the　structure　hung　together；　the　fog　was　as　thick　in　the　dismembered　and　torn　building　as　outside；　but　a　large　gas…pipe　in　Little's　room　was　wrenched　into　the　form　of　a　snake　and　broken；　and　the　gas　set　on　fire　and　flaring；　so　that　the　devastation　was　visible；　the　fireplace　also　hung　on；　heaven　knows　how。

Coventry　cast　his　eyes　round；　and　recoiled　with　horror　at　what　he　had　done：　his　foot　struck　something；　it　was　the　letter…box；　full　of　letters；　still　attached　to　the　broken　door。　　By　some　instinct　of　curiosity　he　stooped　and　peered。　　There　was　one　letter　addressed　〃Grace　Carden。〃

〃He　tried　to　open　the　box：　he　could　not：　he　gave　it　a　wrench；　it　was　a　latticed　box；　and　came　to　pieces。　　He　went　down　the　stairs　with　the　fragments　and　the　letters　in　his　hand；　feet　approached；　and　he　heard　a　voice　close　to　him　say；　〃This　way；　Mr。　Ransome；　for　God's　sake！〃　　A　sort　of　panic　seized　him；　he　ran　back；　and　in　his　desperation　jumped　on　to　the　one　beam　that　was　standing；　and　from　that　through　the　open　wall；　and　fell　on　the　soft　mud　by　the　river　bank。　　Though　the　ground　was　soft；　the　descent　shook　him　and　imbedded　him　so　deeply　he　could　not　extricate　himself　for　some　time。　But　terror　lends　energy；　and　he　was　now　thoroughly　terrified：　he　thrust　the　letters　in　his　pocket；　and；　being　an　excellent　swimmer；　dashed　at　once　into　the　river；　but　he　soon　found　it　choked　up　with　masonry　and　debris　of　every　kind：　he　coasted　this；　got　into　the　stream；　and　swam　across　to　the　other　side。　　Then　taking　the　lowest　and　darkest　streets；　contrived　at　last　to　get　home；　wet　and　filthy；　and　quaking。

Ransome　and　his　men　examined　the　shattered　building　within　and　without；　but　no　trace　could　be　found　of　any　human　being；　alive　or　dead。

Then　they　got　to　the　river…side　with　lights；　and　here　they　found　foot…marks。　　Ransome　set　men　to　guard　these　from　being　walked　over。

Attention　was　soon　diverted　from　these。　　Several　yards　from　the　torn　building；　a　woman　was　found　lying　all　huddled　together　on　a　heap　of　broken　masonry。　　She　was　in　her　night…dress；　and　a　counterpane　half　over　her。　　Her　forehead　and　head　were　bleeding；　and　she　was　quite　insensible。　　The　police　recognized　her　directly。　　It　was　Jael　Dence。

She　was　alive；　though　insensible；　and　Ransome　had　her　conveyed　at　once　to　the　infirmary。

〃Bring　more　lights　to　the　water…side；〃　said　he：　〃the　explosion　has　acted　in　that　direction。〃

Many　torches　were　brought。　　Keen　eyes　scanned　the　water。　　One　or　two　policemen　got　out　upon　the　ruins　of　the　chimney；　and　went　ankle…deep　in　water。　　But　what　they　sought　could　not　be　found。　　Ransome　said　he　was　glad　of　it。　　Everybody　knew　what　he　meant。

He　went　back　to　Little's　room；　and　examined　it　minutely。　　In　the　passage　he　found　a　card…case。　　It　was　lying　on　the　door。　　Ransome　took　it　up　mechanically；　and　put　it　in　his　pocket。　　He　did　not　examine　it　at　this　time：　he　took　for　granted　it　was　Little's。　　He　asked　one　of　his　men　whether　a　man　had　not　been　seen　in　that　room。　The　officer　said；　〃Yes。〃

〃Did　he　come　down？〃

〃No；　and　I　can't　think　how　he　got　out。〃

〃It　is　plain　how　he　got　out；　and　that　accounts　for　something　I　observed　in　the　mud。　　Now；　Williams；　you　go　to　my　place　for　that　stuff　I　use　to　take　the　mold　of　footprints。　　Bring　plenty。　　Four　of　you　scour　the　town；　and　try　and　find　out　who　has　gone　home　with　river…mud　on　his　shoes　or　trousers。　　Send　me　the　porter。〃

When　the　porter　came；　he　asked　him　whether　Mr。　Little　had　slept　in　the　works。

The　porter　could　not　say　for　certain。

〃Well；　but　what　was　his　habit？〃

〃He　always　slept　here　of　late。〃

〃Where　did　you　see　him　last？〃

〃I　let　him　into　the　works。〃

〃When？〃

〃I　should　think　about　seven　o'clock。〃

〃Did　you　let　him　out　again？〃

〃No；　Mr。　Ransome。〃

〃Perhaps　you　might；　and　not　recollect。　　Pray　think。〃

The　porter　shook　his　head。

〃Are　you　sure　you　did　not　let　him　out？〃

〃I　am　quite　sure　of　that。〃

〃Then　the　Lord　have　mercy　on　his　soul！〃


CHAPTER　XXXIII。


That　was　Grace　Carden's　first　anonymous　letter。　　Its　contents　curdled　her　veins　with　poison。　　The　poor　girl　sat　pale　and　benumbed；　turning　the　letter　in　her　hand；　and　reading　the　fatal　words　over　and　over　again。

There　was　a　time　when　she　would　have　entirely　disbelieved　this　slander；　but　now　she　remembered；　with　dismay；　how　many　things　had　combined　to　attach　Henry　to　Jael　Dence。　　And　then　the　letter　stated　such　hard　facts；　facts　unknown　to　her；　but　advanced　positively。

But　what　terrified　her　most　was　that　Henry　had　so　lately　told　her　Jael　Dence　loved　him　best。

Yet　her　tossed　and　tortured　mind　laid　hold　of　this　comfort；　that　not　the　man　only；　but　the　woman　too；　were　loyal；　faithful　spirits。　Could　they　both　have　changed？　　Appearances　are　deceitful；　and　might　have　deceived　this　anonymous　writer。

After　hours　of　mere　suffering；　she　began　to　ask　herself　what　she　should　do？

Her　first　feminine　impulse　was　to　try　and　find　out　the　truth　without　Henry's　aid。

But　no；　on　second　thoughts　she　would　be　open　and　loyal；　show　Henry　the　letter；　and　ask　him　to　tell　her　how　much　truth；　if　any；　there　was　in　it。

The　agony　she　endured　was　a　lesson　to　her。　　Now　she　knew　what　jealousy　was；　and　saw　at　once　she　could　not　endure　its　torments。　She　thought　to　herself　he　was　quite　right　to　make　her　dismiss　Mr。　Coventry；　and　he　must　dismiss　Jael；　she　should　insist　on　it。

This　resolution　formed；　she　lived　on　thorns；　awaiting　Henry　Little's　next　visit。

H