for you've desperate men to deal with. Now, then, will you take it
coolly?"

"Tell me first what this means," said Mr Barclay.

"I shall tell you nothing. I only say this--will you take it coolly,
and do what we want?"

"I can't help myself," says Mr Barclay.

"That's spoken like a sensible lad," says the second man.--"Now, look
here: you've got to stop for some days, perhaps, and you shall have
enough to eat, and blankets to keep you warm."

"But stop here--in this empty cellar?"

"That's it, till we let you go. If you behave yourself, you shan't be
hurt. If you don't behave yourself, you may get an ugly crack on the
head to silence you. Now, then, will you be quiet?"

"I tell you again, that I cannot help myself."

"Shall I undo his hands?" said one to the other.

"Yes; you can loosen them."

This was done, and directly after Mr Barclay sat thinking in the
darkness, alone with as unpleasant thoughts as a man could have for
company.

STORY TWO, CHAPTER TEN.

A PECULIAR POSITION.

The prisoner had been sitting upon the sawdust about an hour, when the
door opened again, and the two men entered, one bearing a bundle of
blankets and a couple of pillows, the other a tray with a large cup of
hot coffee and a plate of bread and butter.

"There, you see we shan't starve you," said the first man; "and you can
make yourself a bed with these when you've done."

"Will you leave me a light?"

"No," says the man with a laugh. "Wild sort of lads like you are not
fit to trust with lights. Good-night."

The door of the inner cellar was closed and bolted, for it was not like
ours, a simple arch; and then the outer cellar door was shut as well;
and Mr Barclay sat for hours reproaching himself for his infatuation,
before, wearied out, he lay down and fell asleep. How the time had
gone, he could not tell, but he woke up suddenly, to find that there was
a light in the cellar, and the two men were looking down at him.

"That's right--wake up," says the principal speaker, "and put on those."

"But," began Mr Barclay, as the man pointed to some rough clothes.

"Put on those togs, confound you!" cried the fellow fiercely, "or--"

He tapped the butt of a pistol; and there was that in the man's manner
which showed that he was ready to use it.

There was nothing for it but to obey; and in a few minutes the prisoner
stood up unbound and in regular workman's dress.

"That's right," said his jailer. "Now, co