"But you knew that secret meetings were held here?" "I knowd they'd their meetings, and a lot o' flags and nonsense, sir; but I niver thowt it was owt but foolery, or they shouldn't hev had it here." "I ask you as a man, Robinson, did you know they meant to blow up the works?" "No, Mr Selwood," cried Robinson, indignantly; "and if I had knowed I'd have come and telled you directly." "I believe you," said the vicar. "I knowed they talked big, sir," continued Robinson; "but when men do that ower a pipe and a gill o' ale, it's on'y so much blowing off steam like, and does 'em good. Bud look here, sir, there's about a dozen of 'em up in big room now. Come on up, and we'll drift 'em." He led the way to the club-room, to find it locked on the inside, and on knocking he was asked the pass-word. "Dal thee silly foolery," cried the landlord, in a passion, "there it is;" and, stepping back, a few paces, he ran furiously at the door and dashed it off its hinges; entering, followed by the vicar, Harry, and Tom, who kept close to protect him from harm. There were about fourteen men present, and they rose with more of dread than menace in their aspect, half expecting to see the police. "Look here, lads," began the landlord--"Allow me, Mr Robinson," said the vicar, stepping forward and looking straight before him. "My men, I look at no man here; I recognise no man as I say this. Smarting under injury as you thought--" "Real injury, parson," cried Stockton. "Faults on both sides, my man," continued the vicar. "Some among you destroyed Mr Glaire's property. I say, smarting under your injuries, and led away by some foolish, mouthing demagogues, you conspired to take the law into your own hands, and, not content with making two cruel assaults on your employer--" "Which he well deserved, parson." "I cannot enter into that," said the vicar. "If one man does wrong, it is no excuse for the wrong of others. Our salutary laws will protect even a murderer, and then punish him according to his deserts. But listen--In a few words, you have been led away to conspire for the accomplishment of a most dastardly outrage. I have just come from the works, and I tell you, as a man, that if the scheme had succeeded, they would have been destroyed." "Serve him right," growled a voice. "All the houses round would have been injured, and the loss of life would have been frightful." "Nay, nay, parson," said Stockton. "I am giving you my honest conviction, my men," continued the vicar. "A hundred pounds of powder in a confined space is sufficient to commit awful ravages; and you forget what would have followed if that tremendous chimney had fallen. But I have not told you all. If the powder had been fired, three people in the works would have been killed. Those people were Mr Richard Glaire--" "Weer he theer, sir?" exclaimed Stockton.