nto eternity."

Henry Little's nerve began to give way more and more.

Meantime Cole met Mr. Coventry, and told him what was going on
beneath the surface: at the same time he expressed his surprise at the
extraordinary forbearance shown by the Union. "Grotait is turning soft,
I think. He will not give the word to burn Sebastopol."

"Then do it without him."

Cole shook his head, and said he daren't. But, after some reflection,
he said there was a mate of his who was not so dependent on Grotait: he
might be tempted perhaps to do something on his own hook, Little being
wrong with the trade, and threatened. "How much would you stand?"

"How far would your friend go?"

"I'll ask him."

Next day Cole walked coolly into the factory at dinner-time and had a
conversation with Hill, one of the workmen, who he knew was acting
for the Union, and a traitor in his employers' camp. He made Hill a
proposal. Hill said it was a very serious thing; he would think of it,
and meet him at a certain safe place and tell him.

Cole strolled out of the works, but not unobserved. Jael Dence had
made it her business to know every man in the factory by sight, and
observing, from a window, a stranger in conversation with Hill, she came
down and met Cole at the gate. She started at sight of him: he did not
exactly recognize her; but, seeing danger in her eye, took to his heels,
and ran for it like a deer: but Jael called to some of the men to follow
him, but nobody moved. They guessed it was a Union matter. Jael ran to
Little, and told him that villain, who had escaped from Raby Hall, had
been in the works colloguing with one of the men.

Ransome was sent for, and Cole described to him.

As for Hill, Jael watched him like a cat from that hour, since a man
is known by his friends. She went so far as to follow him home every
evening.

Cole got fifty pounds out of Coventry for Hill, and promised him twenty.
For this sum Hill agreed to do Little. But he demanded some time to
become proficient in the weapon he meant to use.

During the interval events were not idle. A policeman saw a cutter and a
disguised gentleman talking together, and told Ransome. He set spies to
discover, if possible, what that might mean.

One day the obnoxious machines were stopped by an ACCIDENT to the
machinery, and Little told Jael this, and said, "Have you a mind to earn
five pound a week?"

"Ay, if I could do it honestly?"

"Let us see the arm that flung Ph