"Aye--didn't I?" exclaimed Cobcroft. "Another man and myself were
looking out of the office window, right opposite. It fell in the
queerest way--like this," he went on, holding up his garden-rake.
"Supposing this shaft was the chimney--standing straight up. As we
looked we saw it suddenly bulge out, on all sides--it was a square
chimney, same size all the way up till you got to the cornice at the
top--bulge out, d'ye see, just about half-way up--simultaneous, like.
Then--down it came with a roar that they heard over half the town! O'
course, there were some two or three thousands of tons of stuff in that
chimney--and when the dust was cleared a bit there it was in one great
heap, right across the yard. And it was a good job," concluded Cobcroft,
reflectively, "that it fell straight--collapsed in itself, as you might
say--for if it had fallen slanting either way, it 'ud ha' smashed right
through some of the sheds, and there'd ha' been a terrible loss of
life."
"Mr. John Mallathorpe was killed on the spot, I believe?" suggested
Collingwood.
"Aye--and Gaukrodger, and Marshall, and the steeplejack that had just
come down, and another or two," said Cobcroft. "They'd no chance--they
were standing in a group at the very foot, talking. They were all killed
there and then--instantaneous. Some others were struck and injured--one
or two died.
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