The Parson O' Dumford Part 73

"Theer," cried Sim; "what did I tell you? Didn't I say as he'd come to uz? Yes, Joe Banks, our new brother, we're going to set the eyes of all England starting out of its head, to see us strike for our raights.

We're a-going to--Hey?"

"Stop!" whispered Barker. "See to the doors there. We've a man present as isn't sworn. He must take the oath."

"Didn't I say," cried Joe Banks, fiercely, "that I'd be answerable for him?"

"But I'm not going to join their plans, Joe Banks," said Tom, in a low voice.

"Raight," said Banks, shortly. "Go on, Sim Slee."

"Then look here, mates. Here's what we're a-going to do. Bring that theer keg."

Two men dragged a keg from a cupboard, and placed it on the table.

"Them as is smoking is to go to the other end of the room," said Sim, and there was a sudden movement amongst the men, the deputation not being the last. "Now then," said Sim, "who's got a knife?"

Joe Banks took a big clasp-knife from his pocket, and threw it upon the table, Sim picking it up, and beginning to open it as he went on talking.

"Here's my plan. We're a-going to open the eyes o' lots of places as thowt they was very big in their way; and--h.e.l.lo, where didst thou get this knife fro', Joe Banks?--it's mine."

"Then it was thou as coot the bands," cried Joe, seizing him by the throat. "Thou cunning fox, thou'st trapped after all. It's thou as browt all this trouble on uz wi' thy coward's trick. It was thou as clomb into wucks through the window, and coot all the bands, and left thee knife behind to bear witness again thee. Look at him, lads; he canno' say it wean't."

"And he don't want to," cried Sim, shaking himself free. "I did it all by my sen as a punishment to a bad maister as knows nowt but nastiness; and now we're a-going to come down o' him wi' tenfold violence. Bands is nowt to what we're a-going to do."

There was a cheer at this, and the men who were beginning to be wroth against Sim and his companion, and who would have severely punished him a short time back, lost all thought of the dastardly escapade in the savage attack they meant to make.

"Look here, Joe Banks," continued Sim, whose words came freely enough now without the aid of the deputation, "we're a-going to do something as shall let 'em see what your honest British workman can do, when he's been trampled down, and rises up in his h.o.r.n.y-handed majesty to show as he's a man, and to teach all the masters of England to treat their men as if they were Christians--like brothers as helps 'em to bloat and fatten on the corn and wine, and oil olive and unney as the h.o.r.n.y-handed hand pro--"

"Curse your long-winded speeches!" cried the foreman, savagely, "are you going to talk for ever?"

"Don't be excited, my friend," said Barker, smoothly.

"We're a-going to startle the whole world," cried Sim, not heeding the interruption, as he stood now with one foot upon the keg; "startle the whole world with the report, and the savour shall go up to make the British workman free. Mates, lads, and fellow-workers, we're going to--"

"That's powther, I suppose?" said Banks, pointing to the keg.

"Yes," cried Sim, "and--"

"You mean to blow up the wucks?" said Banks, with a sombre look in his countenance.

"Dal it all, Joe Banks," cried Sim, stamping with rage, "what d'yer want to go spoiling the climax like that how! You didn't make the plans."

"You are going to blow up the place as that cursed smooth-tongued liar will not agree for you to work?"

"Yes," said Sim, sulkily, "that's it."

"Lads," said Banks, "a week ago and I couldn't ha' done this. If he had shown but the least bit as he was sorry for what had pa.s.sed, I'd ha'

forgiven him. But I went to him to-day. I found him sitting in his garden smoking, and careless of the sufferings of his men. I went to him wi'out anger, but humbly, and begged of him to open the wucks again for the sake o' the wives and bairns 'most pining wi' hunger, and then-- then--"

Joe Banks put his hand to his throat, for he was choking, but struggling bravely he went on.

"Then I begged on him to give me some tiding o' my poor bairn. I begged it o' him humbly, just to tell me she weer alive, and well; and to let me know wheer we might send a line to her; for, lads, I've been broken and down like, and ready to do owt to get sight o' her again for her mother's sake, for she's 'bout worn out wi' sorrow. I asked him this."

Banks stopped with his face working amidst the most profound silence, while Tom Podmore took his hand, which was heartily pressed, and Big Harry, after rubbing his eyes with his knuckles like a great schoolboy, crossed over, to double up his fists and say--

"Joe Banks, say the word, mun, and I'll go oop t'house, an' crack him like a nut."

"You as has bairns wean't think me an owd fool for this," said Banks, huskily. "Yow can feel for me."

"Ay, owd lad, we do that," rose in chorus; and then the foreman went on, with his voice gathering strength as he proceeded.

"I asked this of him for you, lads, and for mysen, and he turned upon me, cursed me for an owd fool, and ca'ed me the cause o' all his troubles. He swore he did'n' know nor keer where my poor bairn might be, and at last I comed awaya trembling all ower me, to wheer Tom Podmore here waited for me i' street; for," he continued, holding out his hands before him half-crooked, "if I'd ha' stayed, I should ha'

throttled him wheer he stood; and for his moother's sake, his dead father's sake, and that o' my poor lost bairn, I should ha' repented it till I died."

A low murmur ran through the room, and Sim Slee was about to rise and speak, but several of those present thrust him down, when, with a fierce and lowering countenance, the foreman turned upon him.

"Now," he said, "speak out, mun, what are your plans?"

"The plan is mine," said Sim; "and we go to work this how. We climb in by the little window in the lane, and then go into the low foundry and put two barrels o' powther theer under the middle wall."

Joe Banks nodded.

"Then we lay a train away to the leather, and put a slow match which we fires, comes awaya, and h.o.r.n.y-handed labour triumps, and the wucks comes down."

"Good!" said Banks, nodding his head. "It will destroy them."

"That 'll do, wean't it?" continued Slee, eagerly.

"Yes, that will do," said Banks, in the midst of silence. "And the powther?"

"That is one barrel," said Barker; "the other is at Sim Slee's. Hadn't you better go on, Brother Slee, and make the arrangements?"

"Yes, brother sitterzens," said Slee, "there's the powther to place, and the train to lay. What do you say to Thuzday, this day week?"

"And when's it to be fired?" said Tom Podmore.

"Same time," said Sim; "it's anniversary o' last turn out, and we strikes for freedom. Who comes forward like a h.o.r.n.y-handed hero to do the deed?"

"Not me," said Big Harry. "I aint going to mak' a Guy Fox o' _my_sen."

"Shame on you!" cried Sim. "Rise outer the slime in which you wallows, and in which the iron foot of the despot has crushed you. Rise, base coward, rise."

"If thee ca's me a coward, Sim Slee," growled Harry, ominously, "dal me ef I don't mak' all thee bones so sore thee wean't know thee sen. I'll faight any two men i' the room, but dal all barrels o' powther."

"Bah!" said Sim, contemptuously. "You'd be a martyr to a holy cause."

"Come away, now," whispered Tom Podmore, laying his hand on the foreman's shoulder.

"Nay, let's hear them out," was the reply. "Ay, that's all faine enew,"