The captain of one of the underground gangs stepped out after him, and laying a hand upon his arm, said quietly—
“You take my advice, Mr Sturgess; that place is turning ugly. You go and lie down again, and let the doctor see it when he comes.”
“You hold your tongue for a fool,” said Sturgess savagely; and then he made a lurch as if he had turned giddy, but he recovered himself directly. “Here, some of you: where’s Mr Jessop Reed?”
“I told you,” said Robson, who came up just then, “he has gone to town.”
“It’s a lie!” said Sturgess. “He wouldn’t have gone without telling me.”
“Then he told it himself on paper,” said Robson coolly. “I read you what he said.”
“And it’s a lie, and so is what Smithers says like a fool.”
“Ah! you told me there was something wrong below just as I was off this morning,” said Robson eagerly. “Nobody hurt, Smithers?”
“Nobody hurt?” said the man, with a coarse laugh; “well, I suppose everybody concerned. It’s a general burst up, Mr Robson.”
“A lie. All a lie,” said Sturgess, stretching out his hands and groping as if to save himself from falling. “All a big flam.”