eside themselves in their efforts to face the frightful distress
prevailing; and the charitable committee, aided as they were by
subscriptions from without, could still do but little in comparison to
the great need. Jane Haden and the other women without families, did
their best to help nurse in the houses where sickness was rife. The
children were mere shadows, and the men and women, although far less
reduced, were yet worn and wasted by want of food. And still the strike
went on, still the men held out against the reduction. Some of the
masters had brought men from other parts, and these had to be guarded to
and from their work by strong bodies of police, and several serious
encounters had taken place. Some of the hands were wavering now, but the
party of resistance grew more and more violent, and the waverers dared
not raise their voices. The delegates of the union went about holding
meetings, and assuring their hearers that the masters were on the point
of being beaten, and must give way; but they were listened to in sullen
and gloomy silence by the men. Then came muttered threats and secret
gatherings; and then Jane Haden, obedient to her promise, but very
doubtful as to its wisdom, posted the letter Jack had left with her.

It was three o'clock next day before he arrived, for he had not received
the letter until he went out for his breakfast, and he had to go back to
his work and ask to be allowed to go away for the afternoon on
particular business, for which he was wanted at home.

"Well, mother, what is it?" was his first question on entering.

"I oughtn't to tell 'ee, Jack; and I do believe Bill would kill me if he
knew."

"He won't know, mother, and you must tell me," Jack said quietly.

"Well, my boy, yesterday afternoon Bill came in here with eight or ten
others. I were upstairs, but I suppose they thought I were out, and as I
did not want to disturb 'em, and was pretty nigh worn out--I had been up
three nights with Betsy Mullin's girl--I sat down and nigh dozed off.
The door was open, and I could hear what they said downstairs when they
spoke loud. At first they talked low, and I didn't heed what they were
saying; then I heard a word or two which frighted me, and then I got up
and went quiet to my door and listened. Jack, they are going to wreck
the engines, so as to stop the pumping and drown the mines. They are
going to do for the 'Vaughan,' and the 'Hill Side,' and 'Thorns,' and
the 'Little Shaft,' a