The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1885-02-06
"Ahl" said BARLEY; 1.-The rufilan Hope

"Ah!" said BARLEY; 1.-The rufiian Hope
discharged"
"The same, and man that is burning
to be revenged on him. He's your luck,
Mr.. BARLEY. know the man, and what
he has done in a mine before to-day"
Then he drew near TO Bartley's ear,
and Missed into it these fearful words:
"Send him down the mine; promise
him five hundred p0unds-if William
Hope-never comes up again-and Will
liam Hope never will"
BARLEY drew back aghast. "Assas-
sination!"' he cried; and by generous i'm
pulse of horror he half fled from the
tempter. But MOnckton followed him
up, and laid his hand upon his shoulder.
Hush" said he; "yOu are getting too
near that window, and it is open. Let
me see there's nobody inside"
He looked in. There was nobody.
Grace was upstairs, but it did SO hap
pen thatshe came into the room soon
after.
Nothing Of the kind. Accident. Ac-
cidents will happen in mines, and talk
ing of luck, this mine was declared
dangerous this very day."
NO, mol" groaned BARLEY, trembling
in every limb. ITS horrible crime; I
care not rlSK IL.
1T is but risk. The alternative is GER
tain. You will be indicted for fraud by
the Cliffords."
BARLEY groaned.
They'll live in your home, they'll re-
vel in your money, while you wear
cropped head-and convict dress-in
stone cell at Portland"
mo, never" screamed BARLEY. Man,
man, you are tempting me to my perdi-
ton"
81 am saving you. Just consider
where is the risk? 1t is only an acct
dent, and who will suspect you? Men
don't ruin their own mines. Here just
let me call him."
BARLEY made faint gesture to for
bid it, but Monckton pretended to take
that as an assent.
'Hy, Ben," he cried, "come here"
mo, mol" cried BARLEY; "I'll have
nothing to do with him."
well" said Monckton, then don't,
but hear what he has got to say; he'll
in n mine."
Then Burnley came in, but stood at
some distance. BARLEY turned his back
upon them both, and edged away from
them little; but Monckton stood be-
tween the two men determined to bring
them together.
Ben" said he, "Mr. BARLEY takes you
on again at my request; no thanks to
Mr.. Hope"
mo, curse him; / know that"
Talking of that, Ben, howwas it that
you got rid of that troublesome over
seer in the Welsh collieryg"
Ben started and looked aghast for a
moment. but soon recovered himself,
and told his tale of blood, witha strange
mixture Of satisfaction and awe, wash
ing his hands in the air nervOusly all
the time.
"Well, you see. sir, we put some gun
cotton in small canister, with a fuse
cut to last four minutes, and hid it in
one Of the old workings the men had
left; then they telt t. overseer they
thowt t. water was coming in by quick
ly. He got there just in time; and what
with t explosion, 1ire-damp, and fallen
coal, we never saw T. overseer again."
Dear me-" said Monckton; "and Mr..
Hope has gone down the mine express
ly to inspect old workings. Is it not a
strange coincidence? Now. if such an
accident was to befall Mr.. Hope, it's my
belief Mr.. BARLEY would give you five
hundred pounds"
BARLEY made no reply: the perspira-
ton was pouring down his face, and he
looked picture of abject guilt and ter
rOr.
Monckton looked at him. and decided
for him. He went softly, like cat, to
Ben Burnley, and said, "If an accident
does occur, and that man never comes
up again, you IRE to have five hundred
pounds"
"Five hundred pounds!" shouted Ben.
I'll do t job. Nay. nan, but" said he
and his countenance fell-"they will
not let me go down the mine."
The diabolical agent went cat-like to
BARLEY.
please give me written order to let
this man go to work again in the mine"
BARLEY trembled and hesitated, but
at last took. out his pocket-book, and
wrote on leaf:
Take Burnley Oh again.
r. BARLEY"
Whilst writing it his hand shook, and
when it was written he would not tear
it out. He painted and Quivered, and
was as pale as ashes, and said, NO, no,
it's death-warrant; | cannot" and his
trembling hand tried to convey the
notebook back to his pocket, but it fell
from his shaking fingers, and Monck-
ton took it up, and quietly tore the leaf
out, and took it across to Burnley. in
spite of a feeble gesture the struggling
wretch made to detain him. He gave
Ben the paper, and whispered, 'Be off.
before he changes his mind"
you'll hear of an accident in
the mine before the days over" said
Burnley; and he went off without a
grain of remorse under the double
stimulus of revenge and lucre.
Hell do it," cried MOnckton tri-
umphantly, "and Hope will end his days
in the BARLEY mine"
These words were hardly out of his
lips when Grace Hope walked out of
the house, pale. and with her eyes
cleaning, and walked rapidly past them.
She had nothing on her head but awhile
handkerchief that was tied under her
chin. Her appearance and her manner
struck the conspirators with terror.
BARLEY stood aghast, but the more reso-
lutte villain seized her as she passed him.
She was not bit frightened at that,
but utterly amazed. 1t was a public
road.
slow dare you touch me, you villainl"
she cried. "Let me go. Ah,. / shall
know you again, with your face like a
cOrpse and yOur yillainOus ewes. Let