Part 89 (2/2)

With all this he became very depressed and moody, and alarmed Doctor Amboyne, who remembered his father's end.

The doctor advised him to go and see his mother for a day or two; but he shook his head, and declined.

A prisoner detained for want of bail is allowed to communicate with his friends, and Grotait soon let Hill know he was very angry with him for undertaking to do Little without orders. Hill said that the job was given him by Cole, who was Grotait's right-hand man, and Grotait had better bail him, otherwise he might be induced to tell tales.

Grotait let him stay in prison three days, and then sent two householders with the bail.

Hill was discharged, and went home. At dusk he turned out to find Cole, and tracing him from one public-house to another, at last lighted on him in company with Mr. Coventry.

This set him thinking; however, he held aloof till they parted; and then following Cole, dunned him for his twenty pounds.

Cole gave him five pounds on account. Hill grumbled, and threatened.

Grotait sent for both men, and went into a pa.s.sion, and threatened to hang them both if they presumed to attack Little's person again in any way. ”It is the place I mean to destroy,” said Grotait, ”not the man.”

Cole conveyed this to Coventry, and it discouraged him mightily, and he told Cole he should give it up and go abroad.

But soon after this some pressure or other was brought to bear on Grotait, and Cole, knowing this, went to him, and asked him whether Bolt and Little were to be done or not.

”It is a painful subject,” said Grotait.

”It is a matter of life and death to us,” said Cole.

”That is true. But mind--the place, and not the man.” Cole a.s.sented, and then Grotait took him on to a certain bridge, and pointed out the one weak side of Bob and Little's fortress, and showed him how the engine-chimney could be got at and blown down, and so the works stopped entirely: ”And I'll tell you something,” said he; ”that chimney is built on a bad foundation, and was never very safe; so you have every chance.”

Then they chaffered about the price, and at last Grotait agreed to give him L20.

Cole went to Coventry, and told how far Grotait would allow him to go: ”But,” said he, ”L20 is not enough. I run an even chance of being hung or lagged.”

”Go a step beyond your instructions, and I'll give you a hundred pounds.”

”I daren't,” said Cole: ”unless there was a chance to blow up the place with the man in it.” Then, after a moment's reflection, he said: ”I hear he sleeps in the works. I must find out where.”

Accordingly, he talked over one of the women in the factory, and gained the following information, which he imparted to Mr. Coventry:

Little lived and slept in a detached building recently erected, and the young woman who had overpowered Hill slept in a room above him. She pa.s.sed in the works for his sweetheart, and the pair were often locked up together for hours at a time in a room called the ”Experiment Room.”

This information took Coventry quite by surprise, and imbittered his hatred of Little. While Cole was felicitating him on the situation of the building, he was meditating how to deal his hated rival a stab of another kind.

Cole, however, was single-minded in the matter; and the next day he took a boat and drifted slowly down the river, and scanned the place very carefully.

He came at night to Coventry, and told him he thought he might perhaps be able to do the trick without seeming to defy Grotait's instructions.

”But,” said he, ”it is a very dangerous job. Premises are watched: and, what do you think? they have got wires up now that run over the street to the police office, and Little can ring a bell in Ransome's room, and bring the bobbies across with a rush in a moment. It isn't as it was under the old chief constable; this one's not to be bought nor blinded.

I must risk a halter.”

”You shall have fifty pounds more.”

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