tinued the speaker.
"In regard to those of your number whom I discharged, and refused to
take back, although petitioned to do so, you know who they are, and I
needn't mention names. I will only say that they were detected in an
attempt to injure the pumps and destroy the fans. Had they succeeded the
colliery would have been closed, and all hands thrown out of work for an
indefinite length of time. You would have been in danger from fire-damp
and water. Probably some lives would have been lost. They were
unscrupulous men, and had they succeeded in their villainy you would
have been the greatest sufferers.

"As for you, sir," he said, sternly, turning to Job Taskar, "I have long
had my eye on you, and have come to the conclusion that this mine and
all employed in it would be better off if you should leave it. I
therefore take this opportunity to discharge you from this company's
service. If after to-night you ever enter this mine again it will be at
your peril."

The man was too thoroughly cowed by the boldness of this proceeding to
utter a word, and when the young mine boss, saying "Come, Derrick," and
"Good-evening, men," suddenly stepped outside the door and closed it, he
stood for an instant motionless. Then with a howl of "Stop 'em! Don't
let 'em escape!" he tore open the door and sprang into the gangway
beyond. It was silent and dark, not even a glimmer of light betraying
the presence or existence of those who had but that moment left the
chamber.

For a brief space the man stood bewildered, and then began to run
towards the door that opened into the new workings. Several of the
miners followed him until they came to where their sentinel stood. He,
watchful and on the alert, as he had been ever since they left him
there, was greatly surprised at their haste and the impatient demands
made of him as to why he had allowed two persons to pass. Of course he
stoutly denied having done so, and declared he had seen no living being
since taking his station at that place.

"Then they're back in the old workings, lads, and we'll have 'em yet,"
cried Job Taskar. "They can't get out, for the gangway's choked beyond.
They must have been hid yonder near the place of meeting since
lunch-time, waiting for us, and they're hid now, waiting till we leave,
so's they can sneak out. But they can't fool us any more, an' we'll get
'em this time."

With this the man, fuming with rage and disappointed hate, turned and
retraced his step