ng with her
a piece or two of wood for the fire.

Here was his chance! Here was the head and front of the offence, past,
present, and future! If she had never come into the family there would
have been no Nance, no Bernel, no selling of the farm, maybe. A movement
of the arms, the crooking of a finger, and things would be even between
them.

But--it would still be he who would have to pay--as always!

All through he had been the sufferer, and if he did this thing he must
suffer still more--always he who must pay.

The man who hesitates is lost, or saved. When the contemplator of evil
deeds begins also to contemplate consequences, reason is beginning to
resume her sway.

Then he heard heavy footsteps and voices. His father and Stephen Gard.

Another chance! Gard he hated. There was a bruise on his right jaw
still. And the old man!--he had cut him out of his inheritance by going
crazy over those cursed mines.

"I'm sorry you have gone so far," Gard was saying as they passed. "If
you had consulted me I should have advised against it. Mining is always
more or less of a speculation. I would never, if I could help it, let
any man put more into a mine than he can afford to lose."

"If you know a thing's a good thing you want all you can get out of
it," said old Tom stoutly.

"Yes, if--" and they passed into the house, while Tom in the hedge was
considering which of them he would soonest see dead.

Now they were all inside together. A full charge of small shot might do
considerable and satisfactory damage.

But thought of the certain consequences to himself welled coldly up in
him again, and he slunk noiselessly away, cursing himself for leaving
undone the work he had come out to do.

On the common above the Pot, a terrified white scut rose almost under
his feet and sped along in front of him. He blew it into rags, and was
so ashamed of his prowess that he kicked the remnants into the gorse and
went home empty-handed.

CHAPTER IX

HOW OLD TOM FOUND THE SILVER HEART

One of the first things Stephen Gard had seen to, when he got matters
into his own hands, was the safeguarding of the mines from ever-possible
irruption of the sea. The great steam pumps kept the workings reasonably
clear of drainage water, but no earthly power could drain the sea if it
once got in.

The central shafts had sunk far below sea-level. The lateral galleries
had, in some cases, run out seawards and were now extending far unde