Derrick started and turned toward him with a sudden movement

"Grace!" he said.

"I asked if you were sure of that," answered Grace, coloring. "I am not."

CHAPTER x.x.xV - In the Pit

The next morning Derrick went down to the mine as usual. There were several things he wished to do in these last two days. He had heard that the managers had entered into negotiations with a new engineer, and he wished the man to find no half-done work. The day was bright and frosty, and the sharp, bracing air seemed to clear his brain. He felt more hopeful, and less inclined to view matters darkly.

He remembered afterward that, as he stepped into the cage, he turned to look at the unpicturesque little town, brightened by the winter"s sun; and that, as he went down, he glanced up at the sky and marked how intense appeared the bit of blue, which was framed in by the mouth of the shaft.

Even in the few hours that had elapsed since the meeting the rumor of what he had said and done had been bruited about. Some collier had heard it and had told it to his comrades, and so it had gone from one to the other. It had been talked over at the evening and morning meal in divers cottages, and many an anxious woman had warmed into praise of the man who had "had a thowt for th" men."

In the first gallery he entered he found a deputation of men awaiting him,--a group of burly miners with picks and shovels over their shoulders,--and the head of this deputation, a spokesman burlier and generally gruffer than the rest, stopped him.

"Mester," he said, "we chaps "ud loike to ha" a word wi" yo"."

"All right," was Derrick"s reply, "I am ready to listen."

The rest crowded nearer as if anxious to partic.i.p.ate as much as possible, and give their spokesman the support of their presence.

"It is na mich as we ha" getten to say," said the man, "but we"re fain to say it. Are na we, mates?"

"Ay, we are, lad," in chorus.

"It"s about summat as we"n heerd. Theer wur a chap as towd some on us last neet, as yo"d getten th" sack fro" th" managers--or leastways as yo"d turned th" tables on "em an" gi"en them th" sack yo"rsen. An" we"n heerd as it begun wi" yo"re standin" up fur us chaps--axin fur things as wur wanted i" th" pit to save us fro" runnin" more risk than we need.

An" we heerd as yo" spoke up bold, an" argied fur us an" stood to what yo" thowt war th" reet thing, an" we set our moinds on tellin" yo" as we"d heerd it an" talked it over, an" we"d loike to say a word o" thanks i" common fur th" pluck yo" showed. Is na that it, mates?"

"Ay, that it is, lad!" responded the chorus.

Suddenly one of the group stepped out and threw down his pick.

"An" I"m dom"d, mates," he said, "if here is na a chap as "ud loike to shake hands wi" him."

It was the signal for the rest to follow his example. They crowded about their champion, thrusting grimy paws into his hand, grasping it almost enthusiastically.

"Good luck to yo", lad!" said one. "We"n noan smooth soart o" chaps, but we"n stand by what"s fair an" plucky. We shall ha" a good word fur thee when tha hast made thy flittin"."

"I"m glad of that lads," responded Derrick, heartily, by no means unmoved by the rough-and-ready spirit of the scene. "I only wish I had had better luck, that"s all."

A few hours later the whole of the little town was shaken to its very foundations, by something like an earthquake, accompanied by an ominous, booming sound which brought people flocking out of their houses, with white faces. Some of them had heard it before--all knew what it meant. From the colliers" cottages poured forth women, shrieking and wailing,--women who bore children in their arms and had older ones dragging at their skirts, and who made their desperate way to the pit with one accord. From houses and workshops there rushed men, who, coming out in twos and threes joined each other, and, forming a breathless crowd, ran through the streets scarcely daring to speak a word--and all ran toward the pit.

There were scores at its mouth in five minutes; in ten minutes there were hundreds, and above all the clamor rose the cry of women:

"My Mester"s down!"

"An" mine!"

"An" mine!"

"Four lads o" mine is down!"

"Three o" mine!"

"My little un"s theer--th" youngest--n.o.bbut ten year owd--n.o.bbut ten year owd, poor little chap! an" on"y been at work a week!"

"Ay, wenches, G.o.d ha" mercy on us aw"--G.o.d ha" mercy!" And then more shrieks and wails in which the terror-stricken children joined.

It was a fearful sight. How many lay dead and dying in the noisome darkness below, G.o.d only knew! How many lay mangled and crushed, waiting for their death, Heaven only could tell!

In five minutes after the explosion occurred, a slight figure in clerical garb made its way through the crowd with an air of excited determination.

"The Parson"s feart," was the general comment.

"My men," he said, raising his voice so that all could hear, "can any of you tell me who last saw Fergus Derrick?"

There was a brief pause, and then came a reply from a collier who stood near.

"I coom up out o" th" pit an hour ago," he said, "I wur th" last as coom up, an" it wur on"y chance as browt me. Derrick wur wi" his men i" th"

new part o" th" mine. I seed him as I pa.s.sed through."

Grace"s face became a shade or so paler, but he made no more inquiries.

His friend either lay dead below, or was waiting for his doom at that very moment. He stepped a little farther forward.

"Unfortunately for myself, at present," he said, "I have no practical knowledge of the nature of these accidents. Will some of you tell me how long it will be before we can make our first effort to rescue the men who are below?"

Did he mean to volunteer--this young whipper-snapper of a parson? And if he did, could he know what he was doing?

"I ask you," he said, "because I wish to offer myself as a volunteer at once; I think I am stronger than you imagine and at least my heart will be in the work. I have a friend below,--my-self," his voice altering its tone and losing its firmness,--"a friend who is worthy the sacrifice of ten such lives as mine if such a sacrifice could save him."

One or two of the older and more experienced spoke up. Under an hour it would be impossible to make the attempt--it might even be a longer time, but in an hour they might, at least, make their first effort.

If such was the case, the Parson said, the intervening period must be turned to the best account. In that time much could be thought of and done which would a.s.sist themselves and benefit the sufferers. He called upon the strongest and most experienced, and almost without their recognizing the prominence of his position, led them on in the work. He even rallied the weeping women and gave them something to do. One was sent for this necessary article and another for that. A couple of boys were despatched to the next village for extra medical a.s.sistance, so that there need be no lack of attention when it was required. He took off his broadcloth and worked with the rest of them until all the necessary preparations were made and it was considered possible to descend into the mine.

When all was ready, he went to the mouth of the shaft and took his place quietly.

It was a hazardous task they had before them. Death would stare them in the face all through its performance. There was choking after-damp below, noxious vapors, to breathe which was to die; there was the chance of crushing ma.s.ses falling from the shaken galleries--and yet these men left their companions one by one and ranged themselves, without saying a word, at the Curate"s side.

"My friends," said Grace, baring his head, and raising a feminine hand.

"My friends, we will say a short prayer."

It was only a few words. Then the Curate spoke again.

"Ready!" he said.