too busy with his own adventures to find leisure to hate
any one more than fitfully. He told the Red Handers that some day he
designed a terrific attack on Raymond Ironsyde; and they promised to
assist and support him; but they all recognised their greater
manifestations must be left until they attained more weight in the
cosmic and social schemes, and, for the moment, their endeavour rose
little higher than to set their fatal sign where least it might be
expected.

To this end came dark-eyed Abel to the Mill at an hour when he should
have been at his dinner. Ere long his activities might be curtailed, for
he was threatened with a preparatory school in the autumn; but before
that happened, the Red Hand must be set in certain high places, and the
hackling shop of Levi Baggs was first among them.

Abel wore knickerbockers and his feet and legs were bare, for he had
just waded across the river beyond the Mill, and meant to retreat by the
same road. He had hidden in a may bush till the people were all gone to
their meal, and then crossed the stream into the works. That the door of
the hackler's would be open he did not expect, for Levi locked it when
he went home; but there was a little window, and Abel, who had a theory
that where his head could go, his body could follow, believed that by
the window it would be possible to make his entrance. The contrary of
what he expected happened, however, for the window was shut and the door
on the latch. Fate willed that on the very day of Abel's attack, Mr.
Baggs should be spending the dinner-hour in his shop. His sister, who
looked after him, was from home until the evening, and Levi had brought
his dinner to the works. He was eating it when the boy very cautiously
opened the door, and since Mr. Baggs sat exactly behind the door, this
action served to conceal him. The intruder therefore thought the place
empty, and proceeded with his operations while Levi made no sound, but
watched him.

Taking a piece of chalk from his pocket Abel wrote the words of terror,
'The Red Hand has been here,' and set down the circle and cross. Then he
picked up one of the bright stricks, that lay beside the hackling board,
and was just about to depart in triumph, when Mr. Baggs banged the door
and revealed himself.

Thus discomfited, Abel grew pale and then flushed. Mr. Baggs was a very
big and strong man and the culprit knew that he must now prepare for the
pangs that attended failure. But he bore