The bloody fool!' Manack was beside himself with fury. 'I warned him that if there was ever any trouble he wasn't to come near the place. God! Where is he now? Not up at the house. I hope?'
'No,' Slim replied. 'He had that much sense. He came straight to the mine. I put him in the bolt hole where Pryce is living.'
'Good. I'll go up and have a few words with Master Tanner. He's scared, is he?'
'Scared as hell.'
'That's the trouble with Welshmen,' Manack snarled. 'Too emotional. And they dramatise everything, like the Italians. Right now I suppose he thinks he's Gypo Nolan being chased all over the streets of Dublin.' He crossed over to the gig. As the cage rattled upwards, he said nothing. But his eyes gleamed in the light of the four lamps. He'd taken his helmet off and was running his long fingers through his hair.
We followed him into the bolt hole. Bedding had been brought down and put on one of the beds. Dave was leaning against the rolled-up mattress, smoking a cigarette as we came in. He leapt to his feet when he saw Manack. His quick dark eyes roved round the rock walls. He almost cringed away as Manack went up to him.
'Well?' Manack's voice was soft, but the tone abrupt.
'I had to come,' Dave said softly. He took a puff at his cigarette. 'It was the only safe place. I never thought the Coran girl would give me away like that. I was over at Clynt's farm near Morvah. Lizzie Clynt brought me the paper herself. I didn't trust her after that. So I came here. I had to, man — don't you understand?'
'You disobeyed orders and endangered the lives of the rest of us.' Manack's voice was cold and violent. 'You'll leave for Italy on the Arisaig Monday night. In the meantime you'll live here with Pryce. And you'll stay here, do you understand? No going up to the surface. You'll stay here and you'll keep the entrance closed. I'll give you instructions, money and papers on Monday.'
He turned to me. 'See he stays down here,' he said. 'I don't trust him in his present state.'