“Lean on me, my friend.” He spoke in the gentlest of accents. “I am old but strong, an elder brother here to lend a hand. We will wait, and pray.”
Goddard’s dull eyes filmed and he rested his hand in the arm offered, saying no word. A lump rose in Dennis’ throat.
“Mac, for the love of God, will they finish this? ’Tis more than mortal can bear! I’ve dug at a fallen wall with the bare hands of me and the best lads of my company buried under it, but ’twas not as bad as this! Orbit’s all in, and no wonder!”
Henry Orbit had turned and was gazing at the coal chute in horrified fascination, his highly-bred face quivering and eyes glowing with an awful intensity. As though drawn toward it against his will he advanced a step or two and the officials also moved forward. Then he seemed for the first time to behold McCarty.
“Had you the least suspicion of this when you came to me an hour or so ago?” he asked, his voice a mere toneless breath. “Why did you not tell me? I have three strong men in my house and I myself would have led them! Is this your doing?”
“The inspector brought them, Mr. Orbit.” McCarty replied. “I told you he was coming in a little while but he don’t always tell me what he’s got planned.”
“He should at least have notified me!” Orbit ran his hand through his dark, graying hair. “I could have started the work.—But this is sheer madness! The child cannot have met such a horrible death!”
“We’ll know soon enough.” McCarty’s tone held a note of sternness. “In a minute or two more—!”
As though his words were a signal, the clank and rattling patter from below ceased abruptly and a moment of electrified stillness ensued. Then it was broken by a rising murmur of hoarse voices which were in turn drowned by the sustained hail of coal being flung in every direction.
Orbit uttered a stifled exclamation and then stood immovable as a second groan forced its way from Goddard. One of the Bellamy maids shrieked aloud. Then the noise from the cellar ceased once more and the dog rose slowly lifting his nose into the air. A low, wailing cry broke from him. At that moment a grimy head and shoulders rose in the opening of the coal chute and a hoarse, shuddering voice addressed McCarty.