The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1896-03-30
CHAPTER X-(COntfnuedl

He could not POSSIBLY Id1l IN Qltec-
ticn or disposition. The work of sink
ing the small shaft and Of dig
ging the mine proved to be more trou-
blesome than they had bargained for
Luckily for them, they had to dig only
through q sandy, gravelly soil, at the
bottom Of which they found stiff
clay through which they were able
to run their tunnel without the neces-
s1ty of structural supports. But the
work had to be done with the utmost
caution, slowly and gradually, so that
no sound should reach the outer world.
They had to lie on their StomachS for
hours, and to use their tools in the
most guarded manner. AS the narrow
tunnel increased in length, the air
became sitting, their own breath half
suffocated them, and time after time
they had to make a speedily exit to
escape personal danger. They slept
In the room overhead, and the blinds
there, as well as on the ground floor,
were kept continuously closely drawn.
The lower room soon assumed the
appearance of casemated breast
work in war time-With it's furniture
In one corner, the carpets taken up,
the floor partly removed, the great,
black, gaping hole in the center, with
the excavated earth heaped against
the walls, and numerous parcels and
boxes, containing gunpoWder and gun
cotton, stacked ready for use. Dig
gers and miners tools were StreWn
all over the place. The only article
Of furniture which remained in use
was a mahogany table, scratched,
eoiled and damaged, and two equally
R1l-used chairs, the red damaSk COW
ArS of which were torn and stained be-
yond repair.
Instead Of a week, twelve inter-
minabIe days passed before they saw
themselves near the end of their
scheme 1t was a lovely summer
night, and all the world around was
hushed in balmy sleep when the two
Maclanes emerged from their fiendfsh
hole, utterly tired and worn out, but
exultant with hellish joy at the nigh
approach of the result The mine was
dug Right underneath Lord Cleve's
chamber a space Of some four feet
cubed had been dug out, and this was
An the course of tomorrow to be filled
with explosives. Early in the morn
ing Ned Wall was to receive his five
thousand pounds and to be allowed to
escape; in the evening the fuses were
to be laid and three hours after that
the EdE1 Ol OIGNC WOuIu AO1SCA NC
able to remember anything.
The evening was warm and the per-
SEPARATION was standing in great drops
on the two Wretches' faces. They re-
freshed themselves with their usual
beverage, neat brandy, and on this oc-
casgiOn bottle after bottle was emptied
before, with toss of the head, and
half surly "Good night, Ned" David
and George Maclane prOped their
way upstairs and threw themselves
on their beds Fifteen minutes after
ward they were both snoring SOundIy.
Now it would have been an aston
fishing fact if Mr. Edward Wall had
been able to act honestly even toward
his companions in crime. Mr.. Edward
Wall was thief by education and
profession Thieves have, like other
mortalS. q ShreWu perception of guam
titles in arithmetic, and Mr.. Edward
Wall conceived the idea that 1t would
be more profitable to steal the larger
sum of money at The Bottoms than to
be contented with the smaller one Of
fered by the Maclanes. Perhaps,
who knew, he might be able to steal
both. and that would certainly be the
most satisfactory arrangement. In adj
dition to that, Mr.. Edward Wall had
derous scheme, and its dangers to his
precious neck An apparently brilliant
idea struck him. If Lord Cleye were
blown into SmithereenS, the person
immediately implicated would be him
self. and pursuit would be hot and
furious after him; but If he were to
hoist MeSSrs. Maclane with their own
Detard and blow them to atoms IN
stead. it might so happen that the pub
lic would say "Seryed the WretcheS
right They fell into their own trap.
the one hand five thousand pounds
and the bloodhounds of the law at his
heels within twelve hours, himself the
first person suspected and tracked and
hunted. On the other hand, the chances
of very much larger booty and pJr-
euit nothing near as deadly, nor as
swift-in fact, no proof that the
1IacIanes had not ended their miser-
able existence by an accident nter-
rupting their deviliSh scheme.
Mr.. Edward Wall had passed his
hoyhood under an expert professor ID
the art of picking pockets. de
strengthened his shaking nerves by
hupe draughtS from the remaining
brandy bottles, and then, taking of
his shoes, he stole upstairs.
The two men were sleeping Soundly
Ned knew the disposition of the room
perfectly, and cropping his way about
sc noiselessly as a cat, he crept to
George Maclane's bedside, and from
beneath his pillow, with a cleyerness
and delicacy only possible to the ex
Dprienced pickpocket, he took the lat
4ar,s waistcoat without so much as ruf
HinQ the breath of the sleeper. In tGe
DocEet of that garment he found the
Ete,,,,cb of small KEYS among which he