That is, they pressed round it and saluted it with reproaches not at all soft or complimentary. Possibly in the moment's blind anger they did not see that Mark himself was not its occupant. They were, on the whole, men who knew how to behave themselves, and would have desisted, perhaps apologised, when they had had time and calmness to see that only ladies were there: but that time was not allowed them. One came, with his tall strong form, his pale, resolute, haughty face, and pushed them right and left, as he laid his hand on the carriage door. "Are you _men?_" he asked. "Don't you see that you are terrifying these ladies? Stand back. I had thought----" "Oh, Oswald, save us! save us!" came the interrupting cry, as Caroline Cray caught his hand. "What is it all? what has happened?" He got her out of the carriage and into some adjacent offices, whose friendly doors were opened to them. Sara followed, unmolested, and Oswald went back to rescue, if might be, the carriage. But the gentlemen had been a little recalled to common-sense by the incident: and the carriage was no longer in danger. Smashing Mark Cray's carriage would not make good their losses, or bring forth him who was missing. Oswald returned to Mrs. Cray. "It is all right again now," he said. "The carriage is waiting for you a little further off. Shall I take you to it?" "But I want to go into the offices, Oswald," she feverishly rejoined. "I want to see Mark. I must see him." "Mark is not at the offices. Neither would it be well that you should go there just now." "Not at the offices! where is he then?" "I don't know where he is. I should like to find him." He spoke in a cold, proud, bitter tone, and it struck dismay to the heart of Mrs. Cray. Indeed Oswald's frame of mind was one of the most intense bitterness. He had been plausibly defrauded out of his money: his pride, his sensitive honour, his innate justice, had been wounded to the core. All this disgrace Mark Cray had been earning for himself; Mark, his half-brother! "But I must see Mark," she reiterated in a helpless manner. "Don't you know where I can go to find him, Oswald?" "I do not indeed." "I want to know what has happened. I heard them speak of ruin; of water in the mine. Can _you_ tell me?" "News has come up that an irruption of water has taken place. I find it is not the first: but the other, they say, was not serious." "And this is?" "I fear so." "But what right have those men to be so angry, so excited against Mark? He did not let the water in." Oswald made no answer. If Mark had treated those shareholders with the duplicity that he had treated him, they had certainly a very good right to be angry and excited. Mrs. Cray turned towards the door in her restlessness to take a reconnoitring glimpse of the state of affairs outside. Mark might have come up! might be in the midst of the mob! Sara, who had waited for the opportunity, drew near to Oswald Cray, and spoke in a whisper. "Is it ruin?"