The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1896-04-02
CHAPTER X-,Continued.D

george nl1ilScit climbed tnc dividing
wall and made sure of his position
He could not possibly fail in direc-
tim or disposition. The work of sink
ing tie 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 a stiff
clay through which they were able
10 III their tunnel without the neceS-
sity of structural supports. But the
work had TO be done with the utmost
caution. slowly and gradually. 40 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 II AS the narrow
tunnel increased in length. the air
became Sliding. 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 Il 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 heapcd against
the walls, and numerous parcels and
boxes. containing gunpowder and gum
Gotten. 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 Il mahogany table, scratched.
Soiled and damaged. and two equally
ill-used chairs, The red damask GOV
ers Of which were torn and stained be
You'd repair.
Instead of Il week. twelve inter
minable days passed before they saw
themselves near the end of their
Scheuo. IL was a lovely summer
night. and all the world around was
huShed in balmy sleep when the two
MaclaneS emerged from their fienIiSh
hole. utterly tired and worn out. but
eXultant with a hellish joy at the nigh
approach Of the result. The mine was
dug. Right underneath Lord Cicye's
chamber Il space of some fOur feet
cubCd had been dug out. and this was
in the course of tomorrow TO he filed
with explosives. Early in the morn
ing Ned Wall was to receive his five
thousand pounds and TO he allowed TO
escape: in the evening the fuses Were
to he laid. and three hours after that
the Earl of Clcvc would no longer he
able 10 remember anything.
The evening was warm and the per-
SEPARATION was standing in great drops
on the two WrptcheS' faces. They re-
freshed themselves with their usual
beverage. neat brandy. II on this &C.
casiOn bottle after bottle was emptied
before, with Il tess of the head, and Il
half surly Good night, Ned" David
AMI George MaClane proped their
way upstairs and threw themselves
on their beds. Fifteen minutes after
ward they were both snoring S0undly.
Now it would have been an aston
ishinC fact if Mr.. Edward Wall had
been able to act honestly even toward
his companions in crime. Mr.. Edward
Wall was u thief by education and
profession. Thieves have. like other
mortals, a shrewd perception of guam
titles in arithmetic. and Mr.. Edward
Wall conceived the idea that it would
be more profitable to steal the larger
sum OF money at The Bottoms than to
he contentcd with the smaller one Of
fered by the Maclanes. Perhaps,
who knew, he might he abe to steal
both, and that would certainly be the
most satisfactory arrangement. In adj
dition to that. Mr.. Edward Wall had
been turning over in his mind the muir
derOuS scheme, and its dangers TO his
precious neck. An apparently brilliant
idea struck him. If Lord Cleye were
blown into smithercens. the person
Immediately implicated would be him
self, and pursuit would he hot and
furious after him: but if he were TO
hoist Messrs. Maclane with their own
petard and blow them to atoms in
stead. IL might so happen that the pub
lie would say served the wrctcheS
right. They fell into their own trap"
the one hand five thousand pounds
and the bloOdhcunds of the law ut his
heels within twelve hours, himself the
first person suspected and tracked and
lHnted. on the other hand, the chances
Of u very much larger booty and pur-
suit nothing near as deadly. nor as
swift-in fact, no proof that the
Maclanes had not ended their miscr-
able existence by an accident inter,
rupting their devilish scheme.
Mr.. Edward Wall had passed his
boyhood under an expert professor in
the art of picking pockets. He
strengthened his shaking nerves by
huge draushts from the remaining
brandy bottles. and then, taking of
his shoes, he stole upstairs.
The W men were sleeping sOundly
Ned knew the disposition Of the room
perfectly, and cropping his way abou,
as noiselessly rs Il cat, he crept to
George Maclane's bedside, and from
beneath his pillow. with Il cleverness
and delicacy only possible to the ex
perienced pickpocket, he took the lat
ter's waistcOat without so much as ruff