"You madman!" cried Richard, who had divined what was to take place; and in his dread he became for the time brave, and sought to grasp the man who was charged with the deadly design. "You madman!" he cried. "What are you about to do? Here, help!" He sought to grasp the foreman, and had not long to wait, for, choking with rage, the injured man stepped forward to seize him in turn, and they closed in a furious struggle, which resulted in the younger man seeming like a child in the mighty arms of his adversary, who lifted him from the ground, dashed him down, and then, panting with exertion and rage, planted a foot upon his chest and held him there close by the end of the train, while he felt round for the dark lantern he had dropped. "Banks, Joe Banks, are you mad?" cried Richard, who was half stifled by the pressure upon his breast. "Yes," said the foreman, grimly; "mad." "What are you going to do?" panted Richard, struggling to remove the foot. "To do, liar, coward, villain! was it not enew that you had all you could want, but you must come and rob me o' my poor bairn?" "Joe--Joe Banks!" panted Richard, in protestation; but his words were stifled, for the maddened man pressed his foot down more firmly on his chest. "Silence, you villain!" cried Banks, in a low fierce whisper, "or I'll crash in your chest or break your skull with a piece of iron. Are you going to marry that Eve Pelly?" "Yes, Joe, yes; but--" "Silence!" hissed the foreman, "unless you want to say your prayers. Speak a word aloud, and I'll kill you dead. Now, you want to know why I'm here? I'll tell you. The poor lads thrown out o' work by your cruel ways said they'd blow up the works, for you had injured them so that they would have revenge; and then I said I had greater wrong to bear, and I would do it. Do you want to know more?" he continued, with a savage chuckle. "There lies the powther all of a heap, two barrels full, and here's the train down by your feet. It's aw ready, and there would have been no works by this time if you had not come with she." "Joe, listen," panted Richard, struggling ineffectually against the pressure. "Silence!" hissed Banks; and his foot was pressed so savagely down that Richard Glaire thought his end had come, and lay half swooning, with dazzling lights dancing before his eyes, the sound of bells ringing in his ears, and a horrible dread upon him that if he spoke again the words would be his last. And all this time, like a low hissing sentence of death, went on the words of the foreman, as he bent over him. "I tell thee I hev but to put the light to the train, and you--. Yes, we shall be blown into eternity unless I run fro' the place." "Your child--Daisy!" panted Richard, in his horror. "I hev no bairn," cried Banks, who then uttered an ejaculation indicative of satisfaction, for he had been feeling about, and reached the lantern. "Banks, Joe Banks, for mercy's sake," groaned Richard, hoarsely, "I'm not fit to die."