into his own room.'

'Please to take the light into the pantry for one minute,' he whispered
cautiously, with a fervent hope that Miss Anne would do so without
requiring any further explanations; for he was lost if Black Thompson or
Davies were lying in wait near at hand. Very thankfully he heard Miss
Anne's step across the quarried floor, and in a moment afterwards the
light shone through a low window close by. It was unglazed, with a
screen of open lattice-work over it so as to allow of free ventilation.
It had one thick stone upright in the middle, leaving such a narrow
space as only a boy could creep through. He examined the opening quickly
and carefully while the light remained, and when Miss Anne returned to
the door he whispered again through the keyhole, 'Don't be afraid. It's
me--Stephen; I'm coming in through the pantry window.'

He knew his danger. He knew if any of the robbers came up they must hear
him removing the wooden lattice which was laid over the opening; and
unless they supposed it to be one of their accomplices at work, he would
be at once in their power, exposed to their ill-treatment, or perhaps
suffer death at their hands. And would Miss Anne within trust to him
instead of alarming the master? If he came down and opened the door, all
the designs of the evil men would be hastened and finished before Martha
could return from Longville. But Stephen did not listen, nor did his
fingers tremble over their work, though there was a rush of thoughts and
fears through his brain. He tore away the lattice as quickly and quietly
as he could, and, with one keen glance round at the dark night, he
thrust his head through the narrow frame. He found it was just possible
to crush through; and, after a minute's struggle, his feet rested upon
the pantry floor.

CHAPTER XIX.

FIRE! FIRE!

Anne was standing close to the pantry door, listening to Stephen's
mysterious movements in utter bewilderment, hardly knowing whether she
ought to call her uncle, but not coming to a decision about it until the
boy appeared before her. His first quick action was to secure the door
by fastening a rusty bolt which was on the outside, and then, in a few
hurried sentences, he explained his strange conduct by telling her how
Tim had conveyed to him the design of some of the colliers for breaking
into the master's house. There had been several similar robberies in the
country during the strike for wages, and Miss Anne was gre