put yourself in his place-第76部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


ection；　he　said：　〃I　hear　he　sleeps　in　the　works。　　I　must　find　out　where。〃

Accordingly；　he　talked　over　one　of　the　women　in　the　factory；　and　gained　the　following　information；　which　he　imparted　to　Mr。　Coventry：

Little　lived　and　slept　in　a　detached　building　recently　erected；　and　the　young　woman　who　had　overpowered　Hill　slept　in　a　room　above　him。　She　passed　in　the　works　for　his　sweetheart；　and　the　pair　were　often　locked　up　together　for　hours　at　a　time　in　a　room　called　the　〃Experiment　Room。〃

This　information　took　Coventry　quite　by　surprise；　and　imbittered　his　hatred　of　Little。　　While　Cole　was　felicitating　him　on　the　situation　of　the　building；　he　was　meditating　how　to　deal　his　hated　rival　a　stab　of　another　kind。

Cole；　however；　was　single…minded　in　the　matter；　and　the　next　day　he　took　a　boat　and　drifted　slowly　down　the　river；　and　scanned　the　place　very　carefully。

He　came　at　night　to　Coventry；　and　told　him　he　thought　he　might　perhaps　be　able　to　do　the　trick　without　seeming　to　defy　Grotait's　instructions。　　〃But；〃　said　he；　〃it　is　a　very　dangerous　job。　Premises　are　watched：　and；　what　do　you　think？　they　have　got　wires　up　now　that　run　over　the　street　to　the　police　office；　and　Little　can　ring　a　bell　in　Ransome's　room；　and　bring　the　bobbies　across　with　a　rush　in　a　moment。　　It　isn't　as　it　was　under　the　old　chief　constable；　this　one's　not　to　be　bought　nor　blinded。　　I　must　risk　a　halter。〃

〃You　shall　have　fifty　pounds　more。〃

〃You　are　a　gentleman；　sir。　　I　should　like　to　have　it　in　hard　sovereigns。　　I'm　afraid　of　notes。　　They　get　traced　somehow。〃

〃You　shall　have　it　all　in　sovereigns。〃

〃I　want　a　little　in　advance；　to　buy　the　materials。　　They　are　costly；　especially　the　fulminating　silver。〃

Coventry　gave　him　ten　sovereigns；　and　they　parted　with　the　understanding　that　Cole　should　endeavor　to　blow　up　the　premises　on　some　night　when　Little　was　in　them；　and　special　arrangements　were　made　to　secure　this。


Henry　Little　and　Grace　Carden　received　each　of　them；　an　anonymous　letter；　on　the　same　day。

Grace　Carden's　ran　thus：


〃I　can't　abide　to　see　a　young　lady　made　a　fool　of　by　a　villain。　　Mr。　Little　have　got　his　miss　here：　they　dote　on　each　other。　　She　lives　in　the　works；　and　so　do　he；　ever　since　she　came；　which　he　usen't　afore。　　They　are　in　one　room；　as　many　as　eight　hours　at　a　stretch；　and　that　room　always　locked。　　It　is　the　talk　of　all　the　girls。　　It　is　nought　to　me；　but　I　thought　it　right　you　should　know；　for　it　is　quite　a　scandal。　　She　is　a　strapping　country　lass；　with　a　queerish　name。　　This　comes　from　a　strange；　but　a　well…wisher。

〃FAIR　PLAY。〃


The　letter　to　Henry　Little　was　as　follows：


〃The　reason　of　so　many　warnings　and　ne'er　a　blow；　you　had　friends　in　the　trade。　　But　you　have　worn　them　out。　　You　are　a　doomed　man。　Prepare　to　meet　your　God。

〃＇Drawing　of　coffin。＇〃


This　was　the　last　straw　on　the　camel's　back；　as　the　saying　is。

He　just　ground　it　in　his　hand；　and　then　he　began　to　act。

He　set　to　work；　packed　up　models；　and　dispatched　them　by　train；　clothes　ditto；　and　wrote　a　long　letter　to　his　mother。

Next　day　he　was　busy　writing　and　arranging　papers　till　the　afternoon。　　Then　he　called　on　Grace；　as　related；　and　returned　to　the　works　about　six　o'clock：　he　ordered　a　cup　of　tea　at　seven；　which　Jael　brought　him。　　She　found　him　busy　writing　letters；　and　one　of　these　was　addressed　to　Grace　Carden。

That　was　all　she　saw　of　him　that　night；　for　she　went　to　bed　early；　and　she　was　a　sound　sleeper。

It　was　nine　o'clock　of　this　same　evening。

Mr。　Coventry；　disguised　in　a　beard；　was　walking　up　and　down　a　certain　street　opposite　the　great　door　of　the　works。

He　had　already　walked　and　lounged　about　two　hours。　　At　last　Cole　joined　him　for　a　moment　and　whispered　in　a　tone　full　of　meaning；　〃Will　it　do　now？〃

Coventry's　teeth　chattered　together　as　he　replied；　〃Yes；　now　is　the　time。〃

〃Got　the　money　ready？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Let　us　see　it。〃

〃When　you　have　done　what　you　promised　me。〃

〃That　very　moment？〃

〃That　very　moment。〃

〃Then　I'll　tell　you　what　you　must　do。　　In　about　an　hour　go　on　the　new　bridge；　and　I'll　come　to　you；　and；　before　I've　come　to　you　many　minutes；　you'll　see　summut　and　hear　summut　that　will　make　a　noise　in　Hillsbro'；　and；　perhaps；　get　us　both　into　trouble。〃

〃Not　if　you　are　as　dexterous　as　others　have　been。〃

〃Others！　　I　was　in　all　those　jobs。　　But　this　is　the　queerest。　　I　go　to　it　as　if　I　was　going　to　a　halter。　　No　matter；　a　man　can　but　die　once。〃

And；　with　these　words；　he　left　him　and　went　softly　down　to　the　water…side。　　There；　in　the　shadow　of　the　new　bridge；　lay　a　little　boat；　and　in　it　a　light…jointed　ladder；　a　small　hamper；　and　a　basket　of　tools。　　The　rowlocks　were　covered　with　tow；　and　the　oars　made　no　noise　whatever；　except　the　scarce　audible　dip　in　the　dark　stream。　It　soon　emerged　below　the　bridge　like　a　black　spider　crawling　down　the　stream；　and　melted　out　of　sight　the　more　rapidly　that　a　slight　fog　was　rising。

Cole　rowed　softly　past　the　works；　and　observed　a　very　faint　light　in　Little's　room。　　He　thought　it　prudent　to　wait　till　this　should　be　extinguished；　but　it　was　not　extinguished。　　Here　was　an　unexpected　delay。

However；　the　fog　thickened　a　little；　and　this　encouraged　him　to　venture；　he　beached　the　boat　very　gently　on　the　muddy　shore；　and　began　his　work；　looking　up　every　now　and　then　at　that　pale　light；　and　ready　to　fly　at　the　first　alarm。

He　took　out　of　the　boat　a　large　varnish…can；　which　he　had　filled　with　gunpowder；　and　wrapped　tightly　round　with　wire；　and　also　with　a　sash…line；　this　can　was　perforated　at　the　side；　and　a　strong　tube　screwed　tightly　into　it；　the　tube　protruded　twelve　inches　from　the　can　in　shape　of　an　S：　by　means　of　this　a　slow…burning　fuse　was　connected　with　the　powder；　some　yards　of　this　fuse　were　wrapt　loosely　round　the　can。

Cole　crept　softly　to　the　engine…chimney；　and；　groping　about　for　the　right　place；　laid　the　can　in　the　engine　bottom　and　uncoiled　the　fuse。　　He　took　out　of　his　pocket　some　small　pieces　of　tile；　and　laid　the　fuse　dry　on　these。

Then　he　gave　a　sigh　of　relief；　and　crept　back　to　the　boat。

Horrible　as　the　action　was；　he　had　done　all　this　without　much　fear；　and　with　no　remorse；　for　he　was　used　to　this　sort　of　work；　but　now　he　had　to　commit　a　new　crime；　and　with　new　and　terrible　materials；　which　he　had　never　handled　in　the　way　of　crime　before。

He　had　in　his　boat　a　substance　so　dangerous　that　he　had　made　a　nest　of　soft　cotton　for　the　receptacle　which　held　it；　and　when　the　boat　touched　the　shore；　light　as　the　contact　was；　he　quaked　lest　his　imprisoned　giant…devil　should　go　off　and　blow　him　to　atoms。

He　put　off　touching　it　till　the　last　moment。　　He　got　his　jointed　ladder；　set　it　very　softly　underneath　the　window　where　the　feeble　gas…light　was；　and　felt　about　with　his　hands　for　the　grating　he　had　observed　when　he　first　reconnoitered　the　premises　from　the　river。　He　found　it；　but　it　was　so　high　that　he　had　to　reach　a　little；　and　the　position　was　awkward　for　working。

The　problem　was　how　to　remove　one　of　those　bars；　and　so　admit　his　infernal　machine；　it　was　about　the　shape　and　size　of　an　ostrich's　egg。

It　must　be　done　without　noise；　for　the　room　above　him　was　Little's；　and　Little；　he　knew；　had　a　wire　by　means　of　which　he　could　summon　Ransome　and　the　police　in　the　turn　of　a　hand。

The　cold　of　the　night；　and　the　now　present　danger；　made　Cole　shiver　all　over；　and　he　paused。

But　he　began　again；　and；　taking　out　a　fine　steel　saw　highly　tempered；　proceeded　to　saw　the　iron　slowly　and　gently；　ready　at　the　first　alarm　to　spring　from　his　ladder　and　run　away。

With　all　his　caution；　steel　grated　against　steel；　and　made　too　much　noise　in　the　stilly　night。　　He　desisted。　　He　felt　about；　and　found　the　grating　was　let　into　wood；　not　stone；　he　oiled　the　saw；　and　it　cut　the　wood　like　butter；　he　made　two　cuts　like　a　capital　V；　and　a　bar　of　the　grating　came　loose；　he　did　the　same　thing　above；　and　the　bar　came　out。

Cole　now　descended　the　ladder；　and　prepared　for　the　greatest　danger　of　all。　　He　took　from　its　receptacle　the　little　metal　box　lined　with　glazed　paper；　which　contained　the　fulminating　silver　and　its　fuse；　and；　holding　it　as　gently　as　possible；　went　and　mounted　the　ladder　again；　putting　his　foot　down　as　softly　as　a　cat。

But　he　was　getting　colder　and　colder；　and　at　this　unfortunate　moment　he　remembered　that；　when　he　was　a　lad；　a　man　had　been　destroyed　by　fulminating　silverquite　a　small　quantityin　a　plate　over　which　he　was　leaning；　yet　the　poor　wretch's　limbs　had　been　found　in　different　places；　and　he　himself　had　seen　the　head；　it　had　been　torn　from　the　trunk　and　hurled　to　an　incredible　distance。

That　trunkless　head　he　now　fancied　he　saw；　in　the　middle　of　the　fog；　and　his　body　began　to　sweat　cold；　and　his　hands　to　shake　so　that　he　could　hardly　told　the　box。　　But　if　he　let　it　fall

He　came　hastily　down　the　ladder　and　sat　down　on　the　dirty　ground；　with　the　infernal　engine　beside　him。

By…and…by　he　got　up　and　tried　to　warm　his　hands　and　feet　by　motion；　and　at　last　he　recovered　his　fortitude；　and　went　softly　and　cat…like　up　the　steps　again；　in　spite　of　the　various　dangers　he　incurred。

Of　what　was　this　man's　mind　composed；　whom　neither　a　mere　bribe　could　buy　to　do　this　deed；　nor　pure　fanaticism　without　a　bribe；　but；　where　both　inducements　met；　neither　the　risk　of　immediate　death；　nor　of　imprisonment　for　life；　nor　both　dangers　united；　could　divert　him　from　his　deadly　purpose；　though　his　limbs　shook；　and　his　body　was　bedewed　with　a　cold　perspiration？

He　reached　the　top　of　the　ladder；　he　put　his　hand　inside　the　grate；　there　was　an　aperture；　but　he　could　not　find　the　bottom。　　He　hesitated。

Here　was　a　fresh　danger：　if　he　let　the　box　fall　it　might　explode　at　once　and　send　him　to　eternity。

Once　more　he　came　softly　down；　and　collected　all　the　tow　and　wool　he　could　find。　　He　went　up　the　ladder　and　put　these　things　through　the　grating；　they　formed　a　bed。

Then　he　went　back　for　the　fatal　box；　took　it　up　the　ladder　with　beating　heart；　laid　it　softly　in　its　bed；　uncoiled　the　fuse　and　let　it　hang　down。

So　now　these　two　fiendish　things　were　placed；　and　their　devilish　tails　hanging　out　behind　them。　　The　fuses　had　been　cut　with　the　utmost　nicety　to　burn　the　same　length　of　timetwelve　minutes。

But　Cole　was　too　thought