gh I don't know how. But if she was loaded
up too much, she might have broken anyhow, burned or not."

"I expect so," said Charnock, getting up. "You needn't bother about the
matter; I'm not blaming you."

His face got very grim when he went out, for what he had learned fitted
in with his suspicions. Wilkinson had heard the smith say that steel
could be easily spoiled, and sometimes came to the forge when the man
was away. Then there was the rough, scaly look of the wedge, which had
been put out of the smith's sight, inside the split shank of the bolt.
Everything was plain; Charnock knew why the tie gave way and allowed the
frame to fall.

The thought of the treacherous injury made his blood boil. The thing
had been so easily done; five minutes' work at the blower, a few strokes
with a big hammer when the steel was dangerously hot, and then, perhaps,
a sudden quenching in the snow, when the steel ought to have slowly
cooled. He had been wrong in thinking men would not risk much for the
sake of revenge. Wilkinson had foully struck his comrade and perhaps
crippled him for life. But the cunning brute must be punished, and
driven from the camp, and when he left should carry marks that would
make it difficult to forget his offense.

Charnock, however, could not at once seek out his antagonist. He had
promised Festing to carry on the contract; they had had a number of
setbacks, and the accident would cost them much. Wages were high and it
was essential that the men should be usefully employed, while there
was now nobody but himself to superintend the work. Besides, the doctor
might want him and he must call at the shack every now and then to see
how Festing was getting on. It looked as if he must leave Wilkinson
alone until he had more leisure in the evening.

It was a trying day. The doctor sent him errands and sometimes allowed
him to come in for a few minutes, but his reports were not favorable,
and Festing was either asleep or too feeble to talk. When work stopped
and Charnock went to the shack after some hours' absence the doctor
looked very grave.

"I'm sorry I must keep you out," he said. "You mean well, but you're
clumsy, while the young fellow Mr. Kerr sent has had some training and
knows his job."

"Then my partner's worse?"

"Well, I'll own that I'm anxious about to-night; but if he gets over the
early morning, I'll have hope. Go to the engineer's shack and I'll send
you a report, if possible."

Charnoc