The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1896-04-03

George himself climbed the dividing
wall and Inadr sure of his position
lie could not possibly fail in direc-
Il, n or disposition. The work of sink
ing HI. small shaft and of dig
ginG the mine proved to lie more trou-
blcsolre than they had bargained for
Luckily for them, they had 10 dig only
through sandy. gravelly soil. at the
bottom of which they found Il stiff
clay through which they were able
re- run their tunnel without the neceS-
Sity uf structural supports. But the
work had TO bo done with the utmost
caution slowly and gradually. 80 that
no sound should reach the outer world
They had 10 lie on their Stomachs for
hours. and to use their tools In the
most guarded manner. A. the narrow
tunnel increased in length. the air
became sitting. their own breath half
Sutf"cated them, and time after time
they had 10 make Il speedily exit To
escape personal danger. They slept
in the re0m overhead and the blinds
there, as we'll as OH the ground floor.
Wef" kept continuously closely drawn.
The lower room soon assumed the
appearance Of Il casemared breast
work III war tilne-with its furniture
III one corner, the carpets taken up.
the foer partly removed, tho great,
black. gaping hole in the center, with
the cNcayated earth heapcd against
the walls. and numerous parcels and
boxes containing gunpoWdcr and gun
cotton. stacked ready for use. Dig
ger. ard miners tools We're streWn
all oyer the place. The only article
Of furniture which remained in use
was a mahogany table. scratched.
soiled and damaged. and two equally
il!-uSe1 chaiGS. the rcd iamask coy
erS II which were torn and stained be
yond repair.
Instead of 4 week, twelve inter-
mllahi" days passed before they saw
themselves near the end of their
scheno. 1t was Il lovely summer
night and all the world around was
hushed in halny sleep when the two
MaclaneS emerged from their fen lish
hole. utterly tired and worn out hut
cNultanf with Il hellish joy at the nigh
approach Of the result The mine was
dug Right underneath Lord cleye's
chamber a space Of some four f.at
cnL.-d had lepn drg ont, and this was
ii tie corrs. of tomorrow 10 be filled
with explosives. Early in the morn
in- Ned Wall was 10 receive his five
Thousand pounds and 10 Ia allowed TO
escape: in the evening the fuses were
10 he laid. and three hours after that
the Earl Of Cleyc would no longer be
able Is remember anything.
The evening was warm and the per
spiratien WAS standing IN great drops
oil the two Nretehrs faces They re-
freshea themselves with their usual
beverage. neat brandy. and on this oc-
cas;on bottle after bottle was emptied
before. with i tess Of the head aud Il
half snrly Good night. Ned" David
and George Maclane prppel their
way upstairs and threw themselves
On their beds. Fifteen minutes after
ward they were both snoring soundly
Now Il would have been an aston
iShing fact il Mr.. Edward Wall had
been able to act honestly even toward
his companions i'll crime. Mr.. Edward
Wall was II thief by education and
profession. Thieves have, like other
mortals, a shrcwd perception Of uuan-
titles in arithmetic. and Mr.. Edward
Wall conceived the idea that il would
he more profitable to steal the larger
sum Of money at The Bottoms than to
he contentcd with the smaller one Of
who knew. he might be able to steal
both and that would certainly be the
laost satisfactory arrangement In ad-
aitinn to that, Mr.. Edward Wall had
been turning over in his mind the mur-
derous scheme, and its dangers to his
precious neck. An apparently brilliant
idea struck him. If Lord Cle.e We're
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
pefard and blow them 10 atoms in
stead. il might SO happen that the pub
lie would say served the WretcheS
right, They fell into their own trap"
the enc hand five thousand pounds
and he bloodhoundS Of the law at his
heels within twelve hours. himself he
first person suspected ard tracked and
hunted. On the other hand, the chances
Of a very much larger booty and pur-
suit nothing near rs deadly. nor as
SMift-in fact, no proof that the
Machines had not ended their miser-
able existence hy M accident inter
rupting their devilish scheme.
Mr. Edward Wall had passed his
boyhood under an expert professor il
tn. art Of picking pockets HI
strengthened his shaking nerves by
luge draughts from the remaining
brandy bottles. and then, taking of
lis shoes, he stole upstairs.
The two men were sleeping soundly
Ned knew the disposition Of the room
perfectly, and cropping his way abou
as noiselessly as Il cat. he crept tt
George Maclane's bedside, and from
heneath his pillow, With 4 cieyernes>
and delicacy only possible TO the eX
perienCel pckpocket. he took the lat
1er'S Waistcoat without SO much as rnf
fling the breath of the sleeper In IT,