Scanlan and
McMurdo climbed a heap of slag from which the whole scene lay
before them. They saw the mine engineer, a great bearded
Scotchman named Menzies, come out of the engine house and blow
his whistle for the cages to be lowered.
At the same instant a tall, loose-framed young man with a
clean-shaved, earnest face advanced eagerly towards the pit head.
As he came forward his eyes fell upon the group, silent and
motionless, under the engine house. The men had drawn down their
hats and turned up their collars to screen their faces. For a
moment the presentiment of Death laid its cold hand upon the
manager's heart. At the next he had shaken it off and saw only
his duty towards intrusive strangers.
"Who are you?" he asked as he advanced. "What are you loitering
there for?"
There was no answer; but the lad Andrews stepped forward and shot
him in the stomach. The hundred waiting miners stood as
motionless and helpless as if they were paralyzed. The manager
clapped his two hands to the wound and doubled himself up. Then
he staggered away; but another of the assassins fired, and he
went down sidewise, kicking and clawing among a heap of clinkers.
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