They ran on, swept along by the fringe of the crowd till they reached the top of a gentle descent at the farther end of the village. At the bottom of this hill lay the colliery, with its two huge chimneys, its shed and engine houses, its winding machinery, and its heaps of refuse. Within the enclosure, from the height where they stood, could be seen a thin line of police surrounding a small shed--the pay-office. On the steps of it stood the manager, and the Rector, to be recognized by his long coat and his bare head, had just joined him. Opposite to the police, and separated from the shed by about ten yards and a wooden paling, was a threatening and vociferating mob, which stretched densely across the road and up the hill on either side; a mob largely composed of women--dishevelled, furious women--their white faces gleaming amid the coal-blackened forms of the miners. "They'll have 'im out," said a woman in front of Mary Elsmere. "Oh, my God!--they'll have 'im out! It was he caused the death of the boy--yo mind 'im--young Jimmy Ragg--a month sen; though the crowner's jury did let 'im off, more shame to them! An' now they say as how he signalled for 'em to bring up the men from the Albert pit afore he'd made sure as the cage in the Victory pit was clear!" "Explain to me, please," said Mary, touching the woman's arm. Half a dozen turned eagerly upon her. "Why, you see, miss, as the two cages is like buckets in a well--the yan goes down, as the other cooms up. An' there's catches as yo mun knock away to let 'un go down--an' this banksman--ee's a devil!--he niver so much as walked across to the other shaft to see--an' theer was the catches fast--an' instead o' goin' down, theer was the cage stuck, an' the rope uncoilin' itsel', and fallin' off the drum--an' foulin' the other rope--An' then all of a suddent, just as them poor fellows wor nearin' top--the drum began to work t'other way--run backards, you unnerstan?--an' the engineman lost 'is head an' niver thowt to put on t'breaks--an'--oh! Lord save us!--whether they was drownt at t'bottom i' the sump, or killt afore they got theer--theer's no one knows yet--They're getten of 'em up now." And as she spoke, a great shout which became a groan ran through the crowd. Men climbed up the railings at the side of the road that they might see better. Women stood on tiptoe. A confused clamour came from below, and in the colliery yard there could be seen a gruesome sight; four stretchers, borne by colliers, their burdens covered from view. Beside them were groups of women and children and in front of them the crowd made way. Up the hill they came, a great wail preceding and surrounding them; behind them the murmurs of an ungovernable indignation. As the procession neared them Mary saw a gray-haired woman throw up her arm, and heard her cry out in a voice harsh and hideous with excitement: "Let 'im as murdered them pay for't! What's t' good o' crowner's juries?--Let's settle it oursel's!"