"Broken my poor weary heart," was the reply, as the stricken woman sank, half-fainting, on the floor. Volume 3, Chapter XI. IN THE WORKS. As Daisy Banks ran from the house, wild almost with horror and affright, she made straight for the works, feeling that she might yet be in time to warn Richard Glaire of his peril, if she could not stay her father from the terrible deed he was about to commit. On encountering Big Harry in the great town, that worthy had, on recovering from his surprise at the meeting, told her all--of the plot formed, and that her father, maddened against Richard Glaire for getting her away, was the man who had joined the Brotherhood, and had undertaken to lay the powder for the destruction of the works. Yielding to her prayers, the great, honest fellow had agreed to accompany her back; and not a moment had been lost, but on reaching her home her mother was absent, and Joe Banks had been away all day. Then came the visit to the House, and her leaving for the works. "Wheer next, lass?" said Harry, coming out of the shadow where he had been waiting, but Daisy brushed by him and was gone. "See theer now," he muttered. "What, owd Tommy, is that thou?" he cried, as his old friend and fellow-workman, who had in the darkness missed Daisy, ran up. "Did'st see Daisy Banks?" he cried. "Yes, I see her. She's gone down street like a flash o' lightning." "No, no; she must have gone to the works," cried Tom. "Then she's gone all round town to get to 'em," said Harry. "Come and see first," cried Tom, and the two men ran towards the gates. "What time weer it to be, lad?" whispered Harry. "I don't know," said Tom hoarsely; "they've kept that to their sens." "But owd Joe Banks is going to do it, isn't he?" "Yes, yes; but come along quick." They reached the gate, but there was no sign of Daisy Banks; all was closed, and to all appearance the place had not been opened for days. "Theer, I telled ye so," growled Harry; "she didn't come this waya at all. She's gone home." "How long would it take us to go?" whispered Tom, who now began to think it possible that Daisy had gone in search of her father. "Get down theer i' less than ten minutes, lad, back waya," replied Harry; "come along." Tom tried the gates once more, and then looked down the side alley, but all was still. "If she has been here, she can't have stayed," he said to himself. "Here, quick, Harry, come on, and we may find Joe Banks, too." "And if we do, what then?" growled the hammerman. "We must stop him--hold him--tie his hands--owt to stay him fro' doing this job." "I'm wi' ye, lad," said Harry, "he'll say thanky efterward. If I get a good grip o' him he wean't want no bands." The two men started off at a race, and as they disappeared Daisy crept out of the opposite door-way, where she had been crouching down, and then tried the gates.