Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-08-04

the angle of the wall, well out of sight
and hearing, and then, with all the ac-
tivity of a monkey, he forced his toes into
the creyices where the mortar had been
picked out, climbed the wall, dropped
over the other side into the vast yards Of
some works, where he seemed to be well
at home, and now cautiously threaded
his way among railway wagons, across
intersecting pairs of rails, and on and on
till low murmur over the wall told him
that he was opposite the waiting group
OF men
Fortune favored him here, for there
was a pile of old machinery. worn-out
boilers, and mighty wheels close to the
wall and up these he climbed cautiously,
till his head was level with the top of the
wall, and he could hear every word
spoken below.
''He won It come, - said one of the
men. "His missus is reg lar Tartar.
We nun 90 back home.
may, - said another, "'we nun do
the job to meet, lads, somehow -
''But we can t get into yard wi'out
key
cor a latther, - Ggrowled another
voice
"We nun get in somehow, and put
on. -
''Pst! some ons coming!'
A quick, hasty step was heard coming
down the lane, and Dan'l crouched at
the top of the wall, listening and trying
to come to a conclusion what TO do,
whether to warn Dene that the men were
out and meant to do some mischief-for
he was certain that was meant-or to go
and get Mr. Swift to come to his assist
ance. -
He had to give up the first notion, for
he felt that he could not get to the works
without being seen by the men, who
most likely had others out scouting, and
If he could have reached the place he
had no pass-key of the lower gate. while
it was mile round to the offices and
gatehouse where the night-watchman let
in the stokeTs and men on the night shift.
Just then he heard a familiar voice eX-
claim
"Hallo! you scoundrels, what's this
mean? Look here, if any of you dare to
lay hands on me, IL shoot the first who
comes at,me like a dog. I know you. -
may, you wouldn t shoot no one,
Mister Gray, - said one of the men with
a laugh, ''for you ain t got no popgun.
Nay, nay, you don t run; we want some
thing of you.
Something of ne, you scoundrels?
What game are you going after?''
''Only a bit of a visit, mister, an we
want that little key o yourn as opens lit
tie gayat.
''vislt? Key? Why, where are you
going?'
''Just to see how Mr.. Dene's gettin'
on VII his pretty play toys in t OVID
workshop. Gle's us the key. -
ono, you scoundrels, l can see your
plans. Let me pass; you get no key of
me. -
''Nay, you don t go by till we get it.
Gle it to US, mister; its only to see yon
to be head man wi the gov nor, an
tryin to take lass from thee; the pretty
darlin oop at house.
''You villain!"
"Nay, be civil, mister, and give us
the key. Why, we re going to play thy
game. You don I want that fine chap TO
be put over thee, and take thy lass.
"'Silence, you chattering fool! ]"
"Come, gle us key, fore we tax it
fro thee, - cried the men, ffercely.
''What are you going to do?" painted
Gray hoarsely.
"Oh, on y to see how he's gettin'
on, - said the men, mockingly.
"Nay, don t fool, - growled another.
''Look, here, mister, we re going to
smash up all his stuff, and gle him a les
son as shall teach him working lads don t
mean to be clemmed by his 'ventions.
Gle s a key, and you II never see him
bout here again. He wean t stay after
to-neet 5 wreck. -
,t'B 'ye hear, GEES the key, or wen
heve it out o .ye, cried a voice mock
ingly.
Gabriel Gray hesitated. for a few mo-
ments as he balanced his positiona.aud
made last fight between honor ana dis
honor. But he thought of Dinah Swift,
and the possibility of Dene's success on
all hands was too much for him, and
drawing out the pass-key ne dashed it on
the stones.
''Take it, and do your cursed work, -
he cried fiercely, and hurried off, uB-
now.
cay, we viii, mister, - cried one of
the men in a loud, hooking tone.
9 Work as you'u be glad to see done.
Come on, my lads, he'll thank us when
we we done. -
The men turned away in a quick,
furhve manner, but before
better nature had prevailed.
Course him! I hate him. I wish he
was dead 9 he painted; 'but I can t
have hand in that diabolical outrage.
[ can get to HIM first and warn him. [
can save him. As to the Invention let
hat go.
''Save him! For her! No, can t do
It. Heaven help me, andc'put more
manly thoughts than these INTO my
breast. 4
He stood there in the darkness for a
few moments with his face covered by |
MS hands. Then, as if galvanized into a
lew life, he ran off at full speed to try |
md reach the works by the other route,
80 as to reach Martin Dene before the |
armed ruffians, who in their |
brutal ignorance and bitter hatred of |
anything new would, he knew, stop at |
in theiyS fanaticism while in his |
learl of hearts Gabriel Gray felt thar if |
II befen the young inventer, his mutila-
ion, perhaps desFth, would sei morally |
1t the door of the man who fp2nished the |
party of outrage with the'key.
CHAPTER XII.
TRUE AS STEEL.
The great building, with its rough |
Prick walls, blackened beams and strange |
,haos of old machinery corroded with |
'ust, broken iron, worn bench, and coal |
leaped furnace, looked weird and dark |
- ~,