"No, he won't," said the deputy. "He is in the mine, that is one comfort; and if he comes out alive his life won't be worth much, with the law on one side of the blackguard and Judge Lynch on t'other."
"The first thing," said the Colonel, "is to save these precious lives.
God help us and them."
He then went to the Railway, and wired certain leading tradesmen in Derby for provisions, salt and fresh, on a large scale, and for new tents. He had some old ones stored away in his own house. He also secured abundance of knives, forks, plates, buckets, pitchers, and jugs, and, in short, he opened a commissariat. He inquired for his son Walter, and why he was so late. He could learn nothing but that Walter had mounted a hunter and left word with Baker that he should not be home till eight o'clock. "John," said the Colonel, solemnly, "I am in great trouble, and Walter is in worse, I fear. Let nobody speak to him about this accident at the mine till he has seen me."
* * * * *
Walter Clifford rode to the Lake Hotel to inquire after the bracelet. The landlady told him she had sent her husband over with it that day.
"Confound it," said Walter; "why, he won't know who to take it to."
"Oh, it's all right, sir," said she. "My Sam won't give it to the wrong person, you may be sure."
"How do I know that?" said Walter; "and, pray, who did you tell him to give it to?"
"Why, to the lady as was here with you."
"And how the deuce is he to find her? He does not know her name. It's a great pity you could not keep it till I came."