Sappers and Miners Part 72

"But you'll think better of it, sir. I'll work hard for you."

"No," said the Colonel; "you had a fair chance here for doing well, and you failed. The men would be ready to strike if I took you on again."

"Oh, but you've no call to listen to what a lot of men says."

"I am bound to in a certain way, my man. You made yourself universally unpopular among them, and all that culminated in your savage a.s.sault upon the captain. Why, my good fellow, many a man has gone into penal servitude for less than that."

"Yes, sir, I know I hit him; but they was all again' me."

"I cannot go into that," said the Colonel.

"Give him a trial, father," said Gwyn, in answer to Joe's appealing look.

"Do, sir. I've been out o' work a long time, and it's precious hard."

"Go right away, and try somewhere else, my lad."

"I have, sir," said Dina.s.s, imploringly. "I served you well, sir, and I will again."

"I have no fault to find with your working, my man, but I cannot re-engage you."

"Do, sir; it's for your good. Do take me on, sir. I want to do what's right. It is for your good, sir, indeed."

The Colonel shook his head.

"No; I cannot alter my decision, my man," said the Colonel. "Do as I said: go right away and get work; but I know it is hard upon a man to be out of work and penniless. You are a good hand, and ought not to be without a job for long, so in remembrance of what you did--"

"You'll take me on, sir? I tell you it's for your good."

"No," said the Colonel, sternly. "Gwyn, give this man a sovereign for his present necessities, and for the next few weeks, while he is seeking work, he can apply here for help, and you can pay him a pound a week.

That will do."

"Better do what I said, sir," said Dina.s.s, with a grim look, "I warn you."

"I said that will do, sir," cried the Colonel, firmly. "Gwyn, my boy, pay him and let him go."

Joe's chin dropped upon his chest, and he rested his hand upon the back of the nearest chair.

Then he started and looked at the door wonderingly, for, scowling savagely, Tom Dina.s.s stuck on his hat very much sidewise, and, without pausing to receive the money, strode out of the place and went right away.

"Specimen of st.u.r.dy British independence," said the Colonel, sternly.

"I'm sorry, but he is not a man to have about the place. He is dangerous; and when it comes to covert threats of what he would do if not engaged, one feels that help is out of the question. Be the better for me if I engage him--means all the worse for me if I do not. There, it is not worth troubling about; but if he comes back for the money, when he has cooled down, let him have it."

"Yes, father," said Gwyn, and he went on with his letters, but somehow, from time to time the thought of the man's fierce manner came back to him, and he could not help thinking how unpleasant a man Dina.s.s could be if he set himself up for an enemy.

CHAPTER FORTY FIVE.

CRYSTAL, BUT NOT CLEAR.

Tom Dina.s.s did not come back for the money Colonel Pendarve had ordered to be paid him, but he started off the very next day, as if he had shaken the Ydoll dust from off his feet, and made for the Plymouth road.

The news was brought to Sam Hardock at the mine by Harry Vores, and Sam chuckled and rubbed his hands as he went and told the two lads.

"Gone, and jolly go with him, Mr Gwyn, sir. We're well quit of him. I was going to warn you to keep Grip always with you, for I have heared say that he swore he'd have that dog's life; but perhaps it was all bounce. Anyhow he's gone, and I'm sure I for one shall feel a bit relieved to be without him."

Gwyn said very little, but he thought a great deal for a few minutes about how much better it would have been if Sam Hardock had treated Dina.s.s with a little more amiability. He quite forgot all about the matter for three days, and then he had fresh news, for Sam Hardock came to him chuckling again.

"It's all right, sir," he said.

"What is--the pumping?"

"Tchah!--that's all right, of course, sir; I mean about Tom Dina.s.s.

Harry Vores' wife has just come back from staying at Plymouth, and she saw Tom Dina.s.s there. He won't come back here. Do you know, sir, I've got a sort o' suspicion that he broke Grip's legs."

"Eh! Why do you think that?" said Gwyn, starting. "Did anybody suggest such a thing?"

"No, sir; but he always hated the dog, and he might have done it, you know."

"Oh, yes, and so might you," said Gwyn, testily.

"Me, sir?"

"Yes, or anybody else. Let it rest, Sam. Grip's legs are quite well again."

"That's what you may call snubbing a chap," said Hardock to himself as he went away. "Well, he needn't have been quite so chuff with a man; I only meant--Well, I am blessed!"

Sam Hardock said "blessed," but he looked and felt as if it were the very opposite; and he hurried back to the office where Gwyn had just been joined by Joe, who had been back home to see how his father was getting on, for he was suffering from another of his fits.

Hardock thrust his head in at the door, and without preface groaned out,--

"You'd better go and chain that there dog up, sir," and he nodded to where the animal he alluded to had made himself comfortable on the rug.

"Grip? Why?" said Gwyn.

"He's back again, sir."

"Who is?" said Gwyn, though he felt that he knew.

"Tom Dina.s.s, sir. Talk about bad s.h.i.+llings coming back--why, he's worse than a bad sixpence."

"Then it was him I saw crossing the moor toward the Druid Stones," said Joe.

"Then why didn't you say so?" cried Gwyn, sourly.

"Because I wasn't sure."