The Torch and Other Tales

els by somebody running in hot haste with [221] news just as the farmer was ab

afternoon, rabbiting, and but for the blessing of God, should have falled in, for the top's worn away

ords tripped each other; but his uncle didn't see f

's the famous adit in Smallcumbe Goyle, half a mile away, to the west, long deserted now; and when I was a child, me and my brothers often played in the mouth of it. The place was blocked years ago by a fall from the roof. But

worse-blue jay feather and all. But I dursn't touch it for fear of the law, and seeing it just after I'd found the hole, filled me with fear and terror. Becaus

Ernest was to the end of his tale, and in five minutes he'

a stile down the side, was a stony hillock dotted with blackthorns and briars and all overgrown with nettles, and in the midst of it, sure enough, time and weather had br

alling down into darkness and death afore he knew what had happened. And in that awful moment, such a terrible strange thing be man's mind, it weren't fear of death and judgment, nor yet horror of the sm

him in five weeks ago; and he saw likewise that now it was his turn to be murdered. Then Vitifer and Furze Hill would both belong to the young man. All this Amos saw; and he felt also a dreadful, conquering desire to tell

oise than a man's. Then his head disappeared and Amos was just wondering what next, when his nephew came to the hole again and dropped a great stone. It shot past the [223] wretched chap where he hung, just touching his elbow, and then Amos, seeing he was to be stoned to make sure, called upon God to save him alive. He pressed back against the pit side, while the crumbling timber gave under him and threatened to let him down any moment, but the action saved his life, for the time being, for as he moved, down came another stone and then another. Where the joists of the stage went in, however, was a bit of cover for the unfortunate chap-just enough to keep him

to pulp and out of his misery. For what remained? Nought but a hideous end long drawn out. In fact he felt exceeding sorry for himself, as well he might; but then his nature came to the rescue, and he told himsel

nly fellow being like to hear him was his nephew, there didn't seem much promise to [224] that. He waited another half hour till he knew his murderer was certainly gone home; then he lighted matches and with the aid of the last two left in his box scanned the sides of the pit under him. They were rough hewn, and given light he reckoned he could go down by 'em with a bit of luck and the Lord to guide his fe

t to slither and struggle for more than a matter of another dozen feet, and then he came down on his own coat what he'd dropped before him. So there he was, only scratched and torn a bit, and like a toad in a hole, he sat for a bit on his coat and panted and breathed foul air. 'Twas dark as a wolf's mouth, of course, and he didn't know from Adam what dangers lay around him; but he couldn't bide still long and so rose up and began to grope with feet and hands. He k

ng was hid in a dead man's breast pocket. Then he got hold of it, drew out an electric torch and turned it on the withered corpse of his elder brother. There lay Joe and the small dried-up carca

ified to do ought but shiver and sweat; and then his wits steadied down and he saw that what was

x had bit poor dead Joe, the creature must have come from somewheres. Of course a fox can go where a man cannot, yet t

torch also, for Amos knew that his brother possessed no such thing afore. But there it was: he'd been tempted to buy the toy, and though it couldn't bring him back to life, there was just a dog

child; but that ancient mine adit was well known to be choked by a heavy fall of rock fifty yards from the mouth, so it didn't look very hopeful he'd win through. However his instinct told him the sole chance lay there; for t'other channel, if pursued, could only lead to the heart of the hill. He set out according and after travelling twenty yards with bent head found the roof of the tunnel lift and went on pretty steady without adventures for a few hundred yards. 'Twas very evil air and he doubted if he'd keep his head much longer; but with the torch light to guide his feet, he staggered forward conscious only of one thing, and that was a gre

t he tried not to think at all, and just let his instinct to fight for life hold him and concentrated all his mind and muscle upon it. Yet one thought persisted in his worst moments: and that was, that if he didn't come th

ow dimmer; so he put it out to save the dying rays against when he might need them. An

g the rocks outside. But he might as well have been ten miles away, and too well he knew it. The air was sweet here, for where foxes can run, air can also go; but outlet there was none for him, though somewhere in the mass of stone he doubted not there

ll of stone when it came, or if the rock was too heavy to allow of it. And in any case a gleam of morning wouldn't help him, for the Goyle was two good miles from Merripit village, and a month might well pass before any man went that way. Nor would Amos be the wiser if a regiment of soldiers was marching outside. So it looked as if chance had only put off the evil hour, and he sat down on a sto

, and he marked low down, no higher than his knee, a blue ghost of light shooting through some cleft among the s

with nought but his two hands, could make no great impression on all that stone; but he turned where the ray came through and putting hi

e thankful even in all his trouble that he was a bachelor without wife or child to mourn him. And then his thoughts ran on to the great mystery there would be and the hunt after him; and he saw very clear indeed that all wo

nd marvelling in his simple mind that the wicked could flourish like the green bay tree and nothing be

ards from him. And well he knew what it was, even if the reek hadn't told him. 'Twas a hunted fox that had saved its brush-not for the first time belike-in the old tin mine working, and that meant more to the man than a sack of diamonds just then. He moved and the fox, li

n the prisoned man would hear 'em and try to make the hunters hear him if he could. Hounds met at Dart Meet that day, and Gregory d

ther side of the granite. He guessed the huntsman would soon be with 'em at the cave mouth and presently gave tongue down

e men outside drew off the hounds and was able to get into co

d a very clever thing, for he sent his fox terrier through the hole to Amos with a packet of sandwiches tied on his back. Presently the little dog went in again with a bottle of

, for it took five hours of desperate hard work to get to him, the police had done their bit elsewhere and arrested Ernest Gregory for the murder of his Uncl

Amos was one of the wonders of the Dartmoor world for a long time afterwards. He never got back the full use of his elbow, but weren't

e had done so, and that Ernest had met him there and reckoned that particular wild, black night very well suited for putting the old man away. He knew all about the codicil to Joe's will, and having found the mine shaft months afore, used it as we know h

e, and Ernest Gregory was hanged for his sins to Exeter gaol; and Sarah White, who h

y, no doubt Duchy will get 'em after all some day. In fact, Duchy a

ed how by the wonderful invention of his Maker, Joe Gregory, though dead, yet was allowed to save his brothe

is mantelshelf to this day. And henceforth he always took off his hat to a fox whene

2

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PI

ever astonishes me, for men and women have grown so terrible tricky and jumpy and irregular nowadays, along of better e

knew that, just because it was the last thing on earth you might have thought Jenny would do, it might be looked for pretty confident. She could have had the pick of the basket, for there was a good few snug men took by her

as if he'd been soaked in a peat bog-black hair, black eyes, black moustache and black beard. A short, noisy man with long arms and hair so thick as soot o

was concerned, and though there weren't no shadow of reason for it, he kept her mighty close and didn't like to think of her gossiping with the neighbours when he was away to work. At first she was rather pleased with this side of her husband, thinking jealousy a good advertisement, because it showed how properly he loved her; and there's no doubt no ugly little man ever had a more faithful and adoring wife. She thought the world of him and always said he was wonderful clever and much underva

ider-a big, handsome, clever chap with no vices in him; but there's no doubt he did like Jenny and found her suit him amazing well; and such was his innocence of all evil that once or twice he offered Spider a chance to gr

f's back, that he had nought to fear. Because if the miner had been c

ase, however, you've got a partner that would sooner die and drop into her coffin than do anything to bring a frown to her husband's face, or a pang t

is grievances and tell the man he'd kill him if ever he crossed his threshold again, or ought honest and open like that. Instead he sulked and plotte

hat dark afternoon in March. But he didn't return, and when she came down after dark to her aunt, Maria Pardoe, the washerwoman at Little Silver, and made a fearful stir about the missing man, the people felt sorry for her, and a dozen chaps went down the river to find Spider and fetch him al

cerning Solomon Chuff. But for my part I never thought so, because Spider hadn't got the courage to shorten his own thread. He was the sort that threaten to do it if they lose a half

any, she gave him to understand 'twas far too soon for any thoughts in his direction. In fact you might say she worshipped her husband's memory as her most cherished possession, and now he was gone, she never wearied of h

to me, where I was digging a bit of manure into my garden against seed planting. A March day it was

a tell, Mr. Ba

nd I'll rest my back and li

er aunt's wash-house, w

ret sort of a letter, Mr. Bates. It's signed 'Well Wisher

eren't much to it so far as the length, but it

rking to Meldon Quarry, so don't y

ged the woman, when I han

d," I answered. "And if it's true, then Spider

ked he is so long as

ver, you can put it to the proof. The world is full of little, black, ugly, hairy men like your husband, so you needn't be too hopeful; but I do believe it's tru

uarry?" she asked

r Okehampton way. And what the mischief wil

answered Jenny-in a voi

," I said, "He'd have made a

ok her head

uldn't say for why, exactly; b

in love,"

ill he be found," she promised. "And don't tell Mr. Westaway, please. He'd

ing chap, and a good worker, and a likely sort of man by all accounts. They left m

off?" he asked. "You know I won't let y

r mind, for she doubted if she

now Nicky is dead?" she inquired o

ver to think of the creature again. If he's alive, [239] he's happy with

out him I'm for no other man," she told him

t him': that's a

th," went on Jenny. "I've sometimes thought that the people didn

. I hunted like an

nd," she said, shaking he

Spider, and I'll try again-yes, faith! I'll try again harder than ever. He's in the river somewheres

f talking cruel t

ill, who knew how to touch her-the cunning blade. "Think of that-a proper funeral for him and a pr

way for some fantastic jealousy or other foolishness. For the little man was always in extremes. She felt that once she faced him, she'd soon conquer and have him home in triumph very lik

bring my poor [240] Nicky's bones to light," she

nd was in full wor

I love you," he said. "How was the poor blade dressed the d

l muffler what I knitted him myself and made him wear because it was a cruel cold afternoon. And his socks was ginger-coloured. They was boughten soc

ar, I'll go on till I find the skelington of your late husband or enough to prove h

s in Dart would be like seeking a

but nothing to the re

ou can have me, such as

simple both, was Bill Westaway. He believed by now that Jenny really did begin

ginger-coloured socks," he thought. "It don't sound beyond the power of a witty man like

his way; and Jenny got down the hill and walked

on earth-and told her aunt she weren't feeling very clever this morning and thought she'd better go home. "'Tis just a year since Nicky was took, as we all know," said Maria, "and no doubt you'm feeling wisht

d Mrs. White. "I'm powerful c

f all of us. His Maker won't forget even Nicky. And meantime he's just so peaceful under water as he would be in

w upon her, till by noon she'd built up h

er house locked up, and a bit of paper

for a bit. Please be k