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The Underground City

OR

The Black Indies

(Sometimes Called The Child of the Cavern)

The Underground City

CH!T"R I

CO#TR$ICTOR% &"TT"RS

To 'r R Starr* "ngineer* +, Canongate* "din-urgh

I 'r .ames Starr /ill come to0morro/ to the -erfoyle coal0mines*

$ochart 1it* %arro/ shaft* a communication of an interesting nature

/ill -e made to him

2'r .ames Starr /ill -e a/aited for* the /hole day*

at the Callander station* -y Harry ord* son of the old

overman Simon ord2

2He is re3uested to kee1 this invitation secret2

Such /as the letter /hich .ames Starr received -y the first 1ost*

on the +rd $ecem-er* 4500* the letter -earing the -erfoyle 1ostmark*

county of Stirling* Scotland

The engineer6s curiosity /as e7cited to the highest 1itch

It never occurred to him to dou-t /hether this letter might

not -e a hoa7 or many years he had kno/n Simon ord*

one of the former foremen of the -erfoyle mines* of /hich he*

.ames Starr* had for t/enty years* -een the manager* or*

as he /ould -e termed in "nglish coal0mines* the vie/er

.ames Starr /as a strongly0constituted man* on /hom his fifty0five

years /eighed no more heavily than if they had -een forty

He -elonged to an old "din-urgh family* and /as one of its

most distinguished mem-ers His la-ors did credit to the -ody

of engineers /ho are gradually devouring the car-oniferous

su-soil of the United 8ingdom* as much at Cardiff and #e/castle*

as in the southern counties of Scotland Ho/ever* it /as more

1articularly in the de1ths of the mysterious mines of -erfoyle*

/hich -order on the lloa mines and occu1y 1art of the county

of Stirling* that the name of Starr had ac3uired the greatest reno/nThere* the greater 1art of his e7istence had -een 1assed

Besides this* .ames Starr -elonged to the Scottish nti3uarian Society*

of /hich he had -een made 1resident He /as also included

amongst the most active mem-ers of the Royal Institution9 and the

"din-urgh Revie/ fre3uently 1u-lished clever articles signed -y him

He /as in fact one of those 1ractical men to /hom is due the 1ros1erity

of "ngland He held a high rank in the old ca1ital of Scotland*

/hich not only from a 1hysical -ut also from a moral 1oint of vie/*

/ell deserves the name of the #orthern thens



:e kno/ that the "nglish have given to their vast e7tent of

coal0mines a very significant name They very ;ustly call them

the 2Black Indies*2 and these Indies have contri-uted 1erha1s

even more than the "astern Indies to s/ell the sur1rising /ealth

of the United 8ingdom

t this 1eriod* the limit of time assigned -y 1rofessional men

for the e7haustion of coal0mines /as far distant and there /as

no dread of scarcity There /ere still e7tensive mines to -e

/orked in the t/o mericas The manu0factories* a11ro1riated

to so many different uses* locomotives* steamers* gas /orks*

<c* /ere not likely to fail for /ant of the mineral fuel9

-ut the consum1tion had so increased during the last fe/ years*

that certain -eds had -een e7hausted even to their smallest veins

#o/ deserted* these mines 1erforated the ground /ith their

useless shafts and forsaken galleries This /as e7actly the case

/ith the 1its of -erfoyle

Ten years -efore* the last -utty had raised the last ton of coal

from this colliery The underground /orking stock* traction engines*trucks /hich run on rails along the galleries* su-terranean tram/ays*

frames to su11ort the shaft* 1i1es00in short* all that constituted

the machinery of a mine had -een -rought u1 from its de1ths

The e7hausted mine /as like the -ody of a huge fantastically0sha1ed

mastodon* from /hich all the organs of life have -een taken*

and only the skeleton remains

#othing /as left -ut long /ooden ladders* do/n the %arro/ shaft00the

only

one /hich no/ gave access to the lo/er galleries of the $ochart 1it

-ove ground* the sheds* formerly sheltering the outside /orks*

still marked the s1ot /here the shaft of that 1it had -een sunk*

it -eing no/ a-andoned* as /ere the other 1its* of /hich the /hole

constituted the mines of -erfoyle

It /as a sad day* /hen for the last time the /orkmen 3uitted the mine*

in /hich they had lived for so many years The engineer* .ames Starr*

had collected the hundreds of

/orkmen /hich com1osed the active and courageous 1o1ulation of the mine

Overmen* -rakemen* 1utters* /astemen* -arro/men* masons* smiths*

car1enters* outside and inside la-orers* /omen* children* and old men*

all /ere collected in the great yard of the $ochart 1it* formerly hea1ed

/ith coal from the mine

'any of these families had e7isted for generations in the mine

of old -erfoyle9 they /ere no/ driven to seek the meansof su-sistence else/here* and they /aited sadly to -id fare/ell

to the engineer

.ames Starr stood u1right* at the door of the vast shed in /hich he had

for so many years su1erintended the 1o/erful machines of the shaft

Simon ord* the foreman of the $ochart 1it* then fifty0five years of

age*

and other managers and overseers* surrounded him .ames Starr took

off his hat The miners* ca1 in hand* ke1t a 1rofound silence



This fare/ell scene /as of a touching character* not /anting in

grandeur

2'y friends*2 said the engineer* 2the time has come for us to se1arate

The -erfoyle mines* /hich for so many years have united us

in a common /ork* are no/ e7hausted ll our researches

have not led to the discovery of a ne/ vein* and the last

-lock of coal has ;ust -een e7tracted from the $ochart 1it2

nd in confirmation of his /ords* .ames Starr 1ointed to a lum1

of coal /hich had -een ke1t at the -ottom of a -asket

2This 1iece of coal* my friends*2 resumed .ames Starr* 2is like the

last dro1 of -lood /hich has flo/ed through the veins of the mine=

:e shall kee1 it* as the first fragment of coal is ke1t*

/hich /as e7tracted a hundred and fifty years ago from the -earings

of -erfoyle Bet/een these t/o 1ieces* ho/ many generations

of /orkmen have succeeded each other in our 1its= #o/* it is over=

The last /ords /hich your engineer /ill address to you are a fare/ell

%ou have lived in this mine* /hich your hands have em1tied

The /ork has -een hard* -ut not /ithout 1rofit for you

Our great family must dis1erse* and it is not 1ro-a-lethat the future /ill ever again unite the scattered mem-ers

But do not forget that /e have lived together for a long time*

and that it /ill -e the duty of the miners of -erfoyle to hel1

each other %our old masters /ill not forget you either

:hen men have /orked together* they must never -e stranger

to each other again

:e shall kee1 our eye on you* and /herever you go*

our recommendations shall follo/ you are/ell then* my friends*

and may Heaven -e /ith you=2

So saying* .ames Starr /rung the horny hand of the oldest miner*

/hose eyes /ere dim /ith tears Then the overmen of the different

1its came for/ard to shake hands /ith him* /hilst the miners

/aved their ca1s* shouting* 2are/ell* .ames Starr* our master

and our friend=2

This fare/ell /ould leave a lasting remem-rance in all these

honest hearts Slo/ly and sadly the 1o1ulation 3uitted the yard

The -lack soil of the roads leading to the $ochart 1it resounded

for the last time to the tread of miners6 feet* and silence

succeeded to the -ustling life /hich had till then filled

the -erfoyle mines

One man alone remained -y .ames Starr This /as the overman*

Simon ord #ear him stood a -oy* a-out fifteen years of age*/ho for some years already had -een em1loyed do/n -elo/

.ames Starr and Simon ord kne/ and esteemed each other /ell

2>ood0-y* Simon*2 said the engineer

2>ood0-y* 'r Starr*2 re1lied the overman* 2let me add*

till /e meet again=2

2%es* till /e meet again ord=2 ans/ered .ames Starr 2%ou kno/



that I shall -e al/ays glad to see you* and talk over old times2

2I kno/ that* 'r Starr2

2'y house in "din-urgh is al/ays o1en to you2

2It6s a long /ay off* is "din-urgh=2 ans/ered the man shaking his head

2y* a long /ay from the $ochart 1it2

2 long /ay* Simon? :here do you mean to live?2

2"ven here* 'r Starr= :e6re not going to leave the mine*

our good old nurse* ;ust -ecause her milk is dried u1=

'y /ife* my -oy* and myself* /e mean to remain faithful to her=2

2>ood0-y then* Simon*2 re1lied the engineer* /hose voice*

in s1ite of himself* -etrayed some emotion

2#o* I tell you* it6s TI&& :" '""T >I#* 'r Starr*

and not .ust 6good0-y*62 returned the foreman 2'ark my /ords*-erfoyle /ill see you again=2

The engineer did not try to dis1el the man6s illusion He

1atted Harry6s head* again /rung the father6s hand* and left the mine

ll this had taken 1lace ten years ago9 -ut* not/ithstanding the /ish

/hich the overman had e71ressed to see him again* during that time

Starr had heard nothing of him It /as after ten years of se1aration

that he got this letter from Simon ord* re3uesting him to take /ithout

delay the road to the old -erfoyle colliery

communication of an interesting nature* /hat could it -e?

$ochart 1it %arro/ shaft= :hat recollections of the 1ast

these names -rought -ack to him= %es* that /as a fine time*

that of /ork* of struggle*00the -est 1art of the engineer6s life

Starr re0read his letter He 1ondered over it in all its -earings

He much regretted that ;ust a line more had not -een added

-y ord He /ished he had not -een 3uite so laconic

:as it 1ossi-le that the old foreman had discovered some

ne/ vein? #o= Starr remem-ered /ith /hat minute care the mines

had -een e71lored -efore the definite cessation of the /orks

He had himself 1roceeded to the lo/est soundings /ithout finding

the least trace in the soil* -urro/ed in every direction

They had even attem1ted to find coal under strata /hich are usually

-elo/ it* such as the $evonian red sandstone* -ut /ithout result.ames Starr had therefore a-andoned the mine /ith the a-solute

conviction that it did not contain another -it of coal

2#o*2 he re1eated* 2no= Ho/ is it 1ossi-le that anything

/hich could have esca1ed my researches* should -e revealed

to those of Simon ord Ho/ever* the old overman must /ell

kno/ that such a discovery /ould -e the one thing in the /orld

to interest me* and this invitation* /hich I must kee1 secret*

to re1air to the $ochart 1it=2 .ames Starr al/ays came



-ack to that

On the other hand* the engineer kne/ ord to -e a clever miner*

1eculiarly endo/ed /ith the instinct of his trade

He had not seen him since the time /hen the -erfoyle

colliery /as a-andoned* and did not kno/ either /hat he /as

doing or /here he /as living* /ith his /ife and his son

ll that he no/ kne/ /as* that a rende@vous had -een a11ointed

him at the %arro/ shaft* and that Harry* Simon ord6s son*

/as to /ait for him during the /hole of the ne7t day at

the Callander station

2I shall go* I shall go=2 said Starr* his e7citement increasing

as the time dre/ near

Our /orthy engineer -elonged to that class of men /hose -rain is al/ays

on the -oil* like a kettle on a hot fire In some of these -rain

kettles the ideas -u--le over* in others they ;ust simmer 3uietly

#o/ on this day* .ames Starr6s ideas /ere -oiling fast

But suddenly an une71ected incident occurred This /as the dro1 of cold

/ater* /hich in a moment /as to condense all the va1ors of the -rain

-out si7 in the evening* -y the third 1ost* Starr6s servant -rought

him a second letter This letter /as enclosed in a coarse envelo1e*

and evidently directed -y a hand unaccustomed to the use of a 1en

.ames Starr tore it o1en It contained only a scra1 of 1a1er*

yello/ed -y time* and a11arently torn out of an old co1y -ook

On this 1a1er /as /ritten a single sentence* thus /ordedA

2It is useless for the engineer .ames Starr to trou-le himself*

Simon ord6s letter -eing no/ /ithout o-;ect2

#o signature

CH!T"R II O# TH" RO$

TH" course of .ames Starr6s ideas /as a-ru1tly sto11ed*

/hen he got this second letter contradicting the first

2:hat does this mean?2 said he to himself He took u1 the torn

envelo1e*

and e7amined it &ike the other* it -ore the -erfoyle 1ostmark

It had therefore come from the same 1art of the county of Stirling

The old miner had evidently not /ritten it But* no less evidently*the author of this second letter kne/ the overman6s secret*

since it e71ressly contradicted the invitation to the engineer to go

to the %arro/ shaft

:as it really true that the first communication /as no/ /ithout o-;ect?

$id someone /ish to 1revent .ames Starr from trou-ling himself either

uselessly or other/ise? 'ight there not -e rather a malevolent

intention

to th/art ord6s 1lans?



This /as the conclusion at /hich .ames Starr arrived*

after mature reflection The contradiction /hich e7isted

-et/een the t/o letters only /rought in him a more keen

desire to visit the $ochart 1it nd -esides* if after all it /as

a hoa7* it /as /ell /orth /hile to 1rove it Starr also thought it

/iser to give more credence to the first letter than to the second9

that is to say* to the re3uest of such a man as Simon ord*

rather than to the /arning of his anonymous contradictor

2Indeed*2 said he* 2the fact of anyone endeavoring to influence my

resolution* sho/s that ord6s communication must -e of great im1ortance

To0morro/* at the a11ointed time* I shall -e at the rende@vous2

In the evening* Starr made his 1re1arations for de1arture

s it might ha11en that his a-sence /ould -e 1rolonged for some days*

he /rote to Sir : "l1histon* !resident of the Royal Institution*

that he should -e una-le to -e 1resent at the ne7t meeting

of the Society He also /rote to e7cuse himself from t/o

or three engagements /hich he had made for the /eekThen* having ordered his servant to 1ack a traveling -ag*

he /ent to -ed* more e7cited than the affair 1erha1s /arranted

The ne7t day* at five o6clock* .ames Starr ;um1ed out of -ed*

dressed himself /armly* for a cold rain /as falling* and left his

house in the Canongate* to go to >ranton !ier to catch the steamer*

/hich in three hours /ould take him u1 the orth as far as Stirling

or the first time in his life* 1erha1s* in 1assing along the Canongate*

he did #OT TUR# TO &OO8 T HO&%ROO$* the 1alace of the former

sovereigns of Scotland He did not notice the sentinels /ho stood

-efore its gate/ays* dressed in the uniform of their Highland regiment*

tartan kilt* 1laid and s1orran com1lete His /hole thought /as to reach

Callander /here Harry ord /as su11osedly a/aiting him

The -etter to understand this narrative* it /ill -e as /ell to hear

a fe/ /ords on the origin of coal $uring the geological e1och*

/hen the terrestrial s1heroid /as still in course of formation*

a thick atmos1here surrounded it* saturated /ith /atery va1ors*

and co1iously im1regnated /ith car-onic acid The va1ors gradually

condensed in diluvial rains* /hich fell as if they had lea1t

from the necks of thousands of millions of selt@er /ater -ottles

This li3uid* loaded /ith car-onic acid* rushed in torrents over

a dee1 soft soil* su-;ect to sudden or slo/ alterations of

form* and maintained in its semi0fluid state as much -y the heat

of the sun as -y the fires of the interior mass The internalheat had not as yet -een collected in the center of the glo-e

The terrestrial crust* thin and incom1letely hardened* allo/ed it

to s1read through its 1ores This caused a 1eculiar form of vegetation*

such as is 1ro-a-ly 1roduced on the surface of the inferior 1lanets*

enus or 'ercury* /hich revolve nearer than our earth around

the radiant sun of our system

The soil of the continents /as covered /ith immense forests

Car-onic acid* so suita-le for the develo1ment of the vegeta-le



kingdom* a-ounded The feet of these trees /ere dro/ned in a sort

of immense lagoon* ke1t continually full -y currents of fresh

and salt /aters They eagerly assimilated to themselves the car-on

/hich they* little -y little* e7tracted from the atmos1here*

as yet unfit for the function of life* and it may -e said

that they /ere destined to store it* in the form of coal*

in the very -o/els of the earth

It /as the earth3uake 1eriod* caused -y internal convulsions*

/hich suddenly modified the unsettled features of the

terrestrial surface Here* an intumescence /hich /as to -ecome

a mountain* there* an a-yss /hich /as to -e filled /ith an ocean

or a sea There* /hole forests sunk through the earth6s crust*

-elo/ the unfi7ed strata* either until they found a resting01lace*

such as the 1rimitive -ed of granitic rock* or* settling together

in a hea1* they formed a solid mass

s the /aters /ere contained in no -ed* and /ere s1read over every

1art of the glo-e* they rushed /here they liked* tearing from

the scarcely0formed rocks material /ith /hich to com1ose schists*

sandstones* and limestones This the roving /aves -ore overthe su-merged and no/ 1eaty forests* and de1osited a-ove them

the elements of rocks /hich /ere to su1er1ose the coal strata

In course of time* 1eriods of /hich include millions of years*

these earths hardened in layers* and enclosed under a thick

cara1ace of 1udding0stone* schist* com1act or fria-le sandstone*

gravel and stones* the /hole of the massive forests

nd /hat /ent on in this gigantic cruci-le* /here all this

vegeta-le matter had accumulated* sunk to various de1ths?

regular chemical o1eration* a sort of distillation

ll the car-on contained in these vegeta-les had agglomerated*

and little -y little coal /as forming under the dou-le influence

of enormous 1ressure and the high tem1erature maintained -y

the internal fires* at this time so close to it

Thus there /as one kingdom su-stituted for another in this

slo/ -ut irresisti-le reaction The vegeta-le /as transformed

into a mineral !lants /hich had lived the vegeta0tive

life in all the vigor of first creation -ecame 1etrified

Some of the su-stances enclosed in this vast her-al left their

im1ression on the other more ra1idly minerali@ed 1roducts*

/hich 1ressed them as an hydraulic 1ress of incalcula-le 1o/er

/ould have done

Thus also shells* @oo1hytes* star0fish* 1oly1i* s1irifores* even fish

and li@ards -rought -y the /ater* left on the yet soft coal their

e7act likeness* 2admira-ly taken off2

!ressure seems to have 1layed a considera-le 1art in the formation

of car-oniferous strata In fact* it is to its degree of 1o/er that

are due the different sorts of coal* of /hich industry makes use

Thus in the lo/est layers of the coal ground a11ears the anthracite*

/hich* -eing almost destitute of volatile matter* contains the greatest

3uantity of car-on In the higher -eds are found* on the contrary*

lignite and fossil /ood* su-stances in /hich the 3uantity of car-on

is infinitely less Bet/een these t/o -eds* according to the degree



of 1ressure to /hich they have -een su-;ected* are found veins

of gra1hite and rich or 1oor coal It may -e asserted that it is

for /ant of sufficient 1ressure that -eds of 1eaty -og have not -een

com1letely changed into coal So then* the origin of coal mines*

in /hatever 1art of the glo-e they have -een discovered* is thisA

the a-sor1tion through the terrestrial crust of the great forests

of the geological 1eriod9 then* the minerali@ation of the vegeta-les

o-tained in the course of time* under the influence of 1ressure and

heat*

and under the action of car-onic acid

#o/* at the time /hen the events related in this story took 1lace*

some of the most im1ortant mines of the Scottish coal -eds had

-een e7hausted -y too ra1id /orking In the region /hich e7tends

-et/een "din-urgh and >lasgo/* for a distance of ten or t/elve miles*

lay the -erfoyle colliery* of /hich the engineer* .ames Starr*

had so long

directed the /orks or ten years these mines had -een a-andoned

#o ne/ seams had -een discovered* although the soundings had -een

carried to a de1th of fifteen hundred or even of t/o thousand feet*and /hen .ames Starr had retired* it /as /ith the full conviction

that even the smallest vein had -een com1letely e7hausted

Under these circumstances* it /as 1lain that the discovery

of a ne/ seam of coal /ould -e an im1ortant event

Could Simon ord6s communication relate to a fact of this nature?

This 3uestion .ames Starr could not cease asking himself

:as he called to make con3uest of another corner of these rich

treasure fields? ain /ould he ho1e it /as so

The second letter had for an instant checked his s1eculations on this

su-;ect* -ut no/ he thought of that letter no longer Besides* the son

of the old overman /as there* /aiting at the a11ointed rende@vous

The anonymous letter /as therefore /orth nothing

The moment the engineer set foot on the 1latform at the end

of his ;ourney* the young man advanced to/ards him

2re you Harry ord?2 asked the engineer 3uickly

2%es* 'r Starr2

2I should not have kno/n you* my lad Of course in ten years

you have -ecome a man=2

2I kne/ you directly* sir*2 re1lied the young miner* ca1 in hand2%ou have not changed %ou look ;ust as you did /hen you -ade us

good0-y in the $ochart 1it I haven6t forgotten that day2

2!ut on your ca1* Harry*2 said the engineer 2It6s 1ouring*

and 1oliteness needn6t make you catch cold2

2Shall /e take shelter any/here* 'r Starr?2 asked young ord

2#o* Harry The /eather is settled It /ill rain all day*



and I am in a hurry &et us go on2

2I am at your orders*2 re1lied Harry

2Tell me* Harry* is your father /ell?2

2ery /ell* 'r Starr2

2nd your mother?2

2She is /ell* too2

2:as it your father /ho /rote telling me to come to the %arro/ shaft?2

2#o* it /as I2

2Then did Simon ord send me a second letter to contradict the first?2

asked the engineer 3uickly

2#o* 'r Starr*2 ans/ered the young miner

2ery /ell*2 said Starr* /ithout s1eaking of the anonymous letter

Then* continuing* 2nd can you tell me /hat you father /ants /ith me?2

2'r Starr* my father /ishes to tell you himself2

2But you kno/ /hat it is?2

2I do* sir2

2:ell* Harry* I /ill not ask you more But let us get on* for I6m

an7ious to see Simon ord By0the0-ye* /here does he live?2

2In the mine2

2:hat= In the $ochart 1it?2

2%es* 'r Starr*2 re1lied Harry

2Really= has your family never left the old mine since the cessation

of the /orks?2

2#ot a day* 'r Starr %ou kno/ my father It is there he /as -orn*

it is there he means to die=2

2I can understand that* Harry I can understand that= His native mine=He did not like to a-andon it= nd are you ha11y there?2

2%es* 'r Starr*2 re1lied the young miner* 2for /e love one another*

and /e have -ut fe/ /ants2

2:ell* Harry*2 said the engineer* 2lead the /ay2

nd /alking ra1idly through the streets of Callander* in a fe/

minutes they had left the to/n -ehind them



CH!T"R III TH" $OCHRT !IT

HRR% OR$ /as a fine* stra11ing fello/ of five and t/enty

His grave looks* his ha-itually 1assive e71ression* had from

childhood -een noticed among his comrades in the mine

His regular features* his dee1 -lue eyes* his curly hair*

rather chestnut than fair* the natural grace of his 1erson*

altogether made him a fine s1ecimen of a lo/lander

ccustomed from his earliest days to the /ork of the mine*

he /as strong and hardy* as /ell as -rave and good

>uided -y his father* and im1elled -y his o/n inclinations*

he had early -egun his education* and at an age /hen most lads

are little more than a11rentices* he had managed to make himself

of some im1ortance* a leader* in fact* among his fello/s*

and fe/ are very ignorant in a country /hich does all it can

to remove ignorance Though* during the first years of his youth*

the 1ick /as never out of Harry6s hand* nevertheless the youngminer /as not long in ac3uiring sufficient kno/ledge to raise

him into the u11er class of the miners* and he /ould certainly

have succeeded his father as overman of the $ochart 1it*

if the colliery had not -een a-andoned

.ames Starr /as still a good /alker* yet he could not easily

have ke1t u1 /ith his guide* if the latter had not slackened

his 1ace The young man* carrying the engineer6s -ag*

follo/ed the left -ank of the river for a-out a mile &eaving its

/inding course* they took a road under tall* dri11ing trees

:ide fields lay on either side* around isolated farms

In one field a herd of hornless co/s /ere 3uietly gra@ing9

in another shee1 /ith silky /ool* like those in a child6s

toy shee1 fold

The %arro/ shaft /as situated four miles from Callander :hilst

/alking*

.ames Starr could not -ut -e struck /ith the change in the country

He had not seen it since the day /hen the last ton of -erfoyle coal had

-een em1tied into rail/ay trucks to -e sent to >lasgo/ gricultural

life

had no/ taken the 1lace of the more stirring* active* industrial life

The contrast /as all the greater -ecause* during /inter* field /ork is

at

a standstill But formerly* at /hatever season* the mining 1o1ulation*

a-ove and -elo/ ground* filled the scene /ith animation >reat /agons

of coal used to -e 1assing night and day The rails* /ith theirrotten slee1ers* no/ disused* /ere then constantly ground -y the /eight

of /agons #o/ stony roads took the 1lace of the old mining tram/ays

.ames Starr felt as if he /as traversing a desert

The engineer ga@ed a-out him /ith a saddened eye

He sto11ed no/ and then to take -reath He listened

The air /as no longer filled /ith distant /histlings and the 1anting

of engines #one of those -lack va1ors /hich the manufacturer

loves to see* hung in the hori@on* mingling /ith the clouds



#o tall cylindrical or 1rismatic chimney vomited out smoke*

after -eing fed from the mine itself9 no -last01i1e /as 1uffing

out its /hite va1or The ground*

formerly -lack /ith coal dust* had a -right look* to /hich .ames Starr6s

eyes /ere not accustomed

:hen the engineer stood still* Harry ord sto11ed also

The young miner /aited in silence He felt /hat /as 1assing

in his com1anion6s mind* and he shared his feelings9 he* a child

of the mine* /hose /hole life had -een 1assed in its de1ths

2%es* Harry* it is all changed*2 said Starr 2But at the rate /e

/orked*

of course the treasures of coal /ould have -een e7hausted some day

$o you regret that time?2

2I do regret it* 'r Starr*2 ans/ered Harry 2The /ork /as hard*

-ut it /as interesting* as are all struggles2

2#o dou-t* my lad continuous struggle against the dangersof landsli1s* fires* inundations* e71losions of firedam1* like cla1s

of thunder One had to guard against all those 1erils= %ou say /ell=

It /as a struggle* and conse3uently an e7citing life2

2The miners of lva have -een more favored than the miners

of -erfoyle* 'r Starr=2

2y* Harry* so they have*2 re1lied the engineer

2Indeed*2 cried the young man* 2it6s a 1ity that all the glo-e

/as not made of coal9 then there /ould have -een enough to last

millions of years=2

2#o dou-t there /ould* Harry9 it must -e ackno/ledged*

ho/ever* that nature has sho/n more forethought -y forming

our s1here 1rinci1ally of sandstone* limestone* and granite*

/hich fire cannot consume2

2$o you mean to say* 'r Starr* that mankind /ould have ended

-y -urning their o/n glo-e?2

2%es= The /hole of it* my lad*2 ans/ered the engineer

2The earth /ould have 1assed to the last -it into the furnaces

of engines* machines* steamers* gas factories9 certainly* that /ould

have -een the end of our /orld one fine day=2

2There is no fear of that no/* 'r Starr But yet* the mines /ill-e e7hausted* no dou-t* and more ra1idly than the statistics make out=2

2That /ill ha11en* Harry9 and in my o1inion "ngland is very

/rong in e7changing her fuel for the gold of other nations=

I kno/ /ell*2 added the engineer* 2that neither hydraulics nor

electricity has yet sho/n all they can do* and that some day

these t/o forces /ill -e more com1letely

utili@ed But no matter= Coal is of a very 1ractical use*



and lends itself easily to the various /ants of industry

Unfortunately man cannot 1roduce it at /ill Though our e7ternal

forests gro/ incessantly under the influence of heat and /ater*

our su-terranean forests /ill not -e re1roduced* and if they /ere*

the glo-e /ould never -e in the state necessary to make

them into coal2

.ames Starr and his guide* /hilst talking* had continued their /alk

at a ra1id 1ace n hour after leaving Callander they reached

the $ochart 1it

The most indifferent 1erson /ould have -een touched at the a11earance

this deserted s1ot 1resented It /as like the skeleton of something

that had formerly lived fe/ /retched trees -ordered a 1lain

/here the ground /as hidden under the -lack dust of the mineral fuel*

-ut no cinders nor even fragments of coal /ere to -e seen

ll had -een carried a/ay and consumed long ago

They /alked into the shed /hich covered the o1ening of the %arro/ shaft*

/hence ladders still gave access to the lo/er galleries of the 1it

The engineer -ent over the o1ening ormerly from this 1lace could-e heard the 1o/erful /histle of the air inhaled -y the ventilators

It /as no/ a silent a-yss It /as like -eing at the mouth of

some e7tinct volcano

:hen the mine /as -eing /orked* ingenious machines /ere used in certain

shafts of the -erfoyle colliery* /hich in this res1ect /as very /ell

off9

frames furnished /ith automatic lifts* /orking in /ooden slides*

oscillating ladders* called 2man0engines*2 /hich* -y a sim1le movement*

1ermitted the miners to descend /ithout danger

But all these a11liances had -een carried a/ay* after the cessation

of the /orks In the %arro/ shaft there remained only a long succession

of ladders* se1arated at every fifty feet -y narro/ landings

Thirty of these ladders 1laced thus end to end led the visitor

do/n into the lo/er gallery* a de1th of fifteen hundred feet

This /as the only /ay of communication /hich e7isted -et/een

the -ottom of the $ochart 1it and the o1en air s to air*

that came in -y the %arro/ shaft* from /hence galleries communicated

/ith another shaft /hose orifice o1ened at a higher level9

the /arm air naturally esca1ed -y this s1ecies of inverted si1hon

2I /ill follo/ you* my lad*2 said the engineer* signing to the young

man to 1recede him

2s you 1lease* 'r Starr2

2Have you your lam1?2

2%es* and I only /ish it /as still the safety lam1* /hich /e formerly

had to use=2

2Sure enough*2 returned .ames Starr* 2there is no fear of

fire0dam1 e71losions no/=2



Harry /as 1rovided /ith a sim1le oil lam1* the /ick of /hich he lighted

In the mine* no/ em1ty of coal* esca1es of light car-uretted hydrogen

could not occur s no e71losion need -e feared* there /as no

necessity for inter1osing -et/een the flame and the surrounding air

that metallic screen /hich 1revents the gas from catching fire

The $avy lam1 /as of no use here But if the danger did not e7ist*

it /as -ecause the cause of it had disa11eared* and /ith this cause*

the com-usti-le in /hich formerly consisted the riches of the $ochart

1it

Harry descended the first ste1s of the u11er ladder

Starr follo/ed They soon found themselves in a 1rofound o-scurity*

/hich /as only relieved -y the glimmer of the lam1

The young man held it a-ove his head* the -etter to light

his com1anion do@en ladders /ere descended -y the engineer

and his guide* /ith the measured ste1 ha-itual to the miner

They /ere all still in good condition

.ames Starr e7amined* as /ell as the insufficient light /ould 1ermit*

the sides of the dark shaft* /hich /ere covered -y a 1artly rotten

lining of /ood

rrived at the fifteenth landing* that is to say* half /ay do/n*

they halted for a fe/ minutes

2$ecidedly* I have not your legs* my lad*2 said the engineer* 1anting

2%ou are very stout* 'r Starr*2 re1lied Harry* 2and it6s something too*

you see* to live all one6s life in the mine2

2Right* Harry ormerly* /hen I /as t/enty* I could have gone

do/n all at a -reath Come* for/ard=2

But ;ust as the t/o /ere a-out to leave the 1latform* a voice*

as yet far distant* /as heard in the de1ths of the shaft

It came u1 like a sonorous -illo/* s/elling as it advanced*

and -ecoming more and more distinct

2Halloo= /ho comes here?2 asked the engineer* sto11ing Harry

2I cannot say*2 ans/ered the young miner

2Is it not your father?2

2'y father* 'r Starr? no2

2Some neigh-or* then?2

2:e have no neigh-ors in the -ottom of the 1it*2

re1lied Harry 2:e are alone* 3uite alone2

2:ell* /e must let this intruder 1ass*2 said .ames Starr 2Those /ho

are descending must yield the 1ath to those /ho are ascending2

They /aited The voice -roke out again /ith a magnificent -urst*

as if it had -een carried through a vast s1eaking trum1et9



and soon a fe/ /ords of a Scotch song came clearly to the ears

of the young miner

2The Hundred !i1ers=2 cried Harry 2:ell* I shall -e much sur1rised

if that comes from the lungs of any man -ut .ack Ryan2

2nd /ho is this .ack Ryan?2 asked .ames Starr

2n old mining comrade*2 re1lied Harry Then leaning from

the 1latform* 2Halloo= .ack=2 he shouted

2Is that you* Harry?2 /as the re1ly 2:ait a -it* I6m coming2

nd the song -roke forth again

In a fe/ minutes* a tall fello/ of five and t/enty* /ith a

merry face* smiling eyes* a laughing mouth* and sandy hair*

a11eared at the -ottom of the luminous cone /hich /as thro/n from

his lantern* and set foot on the landing of the fifteenth ladder

His first act /as to vigorously /ring the hand /hich Harry

e7tended to him

2$elighted to meet you=2 he e7claimed 2If I had only kno/n

you /ere to -e a-ove ground to0day* I /ould have s1ared myself

going do/n the %arro/ shaft=2

2This is 'r .ames Starr*2 said Harry* turning his lam1 to/ards

the engineer* /ho /as in the shado/

2'r Starr=2 cried .ack Ryan 2h* sir* I could not see

Since I left the mine* my eyes have not -een accustomed to see

in the dark* as they used to do2

2h* I remem-er a laddie /ho /as al/ays singing That /as ten years

ago

It /as you* no dou-t?2

2y* 'r Starr* -ut in changing my trade* I haven6t changed

my dis1osition It6s far -etter to laugh and sing than to

cry and /hine=2

2%ou6re right there* .ack Ryan nd /hat do you do no/*

as you have left the mine?2

2I am /orking on the 'elrose farm* forty miles from here

h* it6s not like our -erfoyle mines= The 1ick comes -etter

to my hand than the s1ade or hoe nd then* in the old 1it*

there /ere vaulted roofs* to merrily echo one6s songs* /hile u1a-ove ground=00But you are going to see old Simon* 'r Starr?2

2%es* .ack*2 ans/ered the engineer

2$on6t let me kee1 you then2

2Tell me* .ack*2 said Harry* 2/hat /as taking you to our cottage to0

day?2



2I /anted to see you* man*2 re1lied .ack* 2and ask you to come

to the Irvine games %ou kno/ I am the 1i1er of the 1lace

There /ill -e dancing and singing2

2Thank you* .ack* -ut it6s im1ossi-le2

2Im1ossi-le?2

2%es9 'r Starr6s visit /ill last some time* and I must take

him -ack to Callander2

2:ell* Harry* it /on6t -e for a /eek yet By that time 'r Starr6s

visit /ill -e over* I should think* and there /ill -e nothing to kee1

you at the cottage2

2Indeed* Harry*2 said .ames Starr* 2you must 1rofit -y your

friend .ack6s invitation2

2:ell* I acce1t it* .ack*2 said Harry 2In a /eek /e /ill

meet at Irvine2

2In a /eek* that6s settled*2 returned Ryan 2>ood0-y* Harry=

%our servant* 'r Starr I am very glad to have seen you again=

I can give ne/s of you to all my friends #o one has

forgotten you* sir2

2nd I have forgotten no one*2 said Starr

2Thanks for all* sir*2 re1lied .ack

2>ood0-y* .ack*2 said Harry* shaking his hand nd .ack Ryan*

singing as he /ent* soon disa11eared in the heights of the shaft*

dimly lighted -y his lam1

3uarter of an hour after/ards .ames Starr and Harry descended

the last ladder* and set foot on the lo/est floor of the 1it

rom the -ottom of the %arro/ shaft radiated numerous em1ty galleries

They ran through the /all of schist and sandstone* some shored u1

/ith great* roughly0he/n -eams* others lined /ith a thick casing of

/ood

In every direc0

tion em-ankments su11lied the 1lace of the e7cavated veins

rtificial 1illars /ere made of stone from neigh-oring 3uarries*

and no/ they su11orted the ground* that is to say* the dou-le layer of

tertiary and 3uaternary soil* /hich formerly rested on the seam itself

$arkness no/ filled the galleries* formerly lighted either -y theminer6s

lam1 or -y the electric light* the use of /hich had -een introduced

in the mines

2:ill you not rest a /hile* 'r Starr?2 asked the young man

2#o* my lad*2 re1lied the engineer* 2for I am an7ious to -e at

your father6s cottage2



2ollo/ me then* 'r Starr I /ill guide you* and yet I daresay you

could find your /ay 1erfectly /ell through this dark la-yrinth2

2%es* indeed= I have the /hole 1lan of the old 1it still in my head2

Harry* follo/ed -y the engineer* and holding his lam1 high

the -etter to light their /ay* /alked along a high gallery*

like the nave of a cathedral Their feet still struck against

the /ooden slee1ers /hich used to su11ort the rails

They had not gone more than fifty 1aces* /hen a huge stone

fell at the feet of .ames Starr 2Take care* 'r Starr=2

cried Harry* sei@ing the engineer -y the arm

2 stone* Harry= h= these old vaultings are no longer 3uite secure*

of course* and002

2'r Starr*2 said Harry ord* 2it seems to me that stone /as thro/n*

thro/n as -y the hand of man=2

2Thro/n=2 e7claimed .ames Starr 2:hat do you mean* lad?2

2#othing* nothing* 'r Starr*2 re1lied Harry evasively* his an7ious

ga@e endeavoring to 1ierce the darkness 2&et us go on

Take my arm* sir* and don6t -e afraid of making a false ste12

2Here I am* Harry2 nd they -oth advanced* /hilst Harry looked

on every side* thro/ing the light of his lam1 into all the corners

of the gallery

2Shall /e soon -e there?2 asked the engineer

2In ten minutes at most2

2>ood2

2But*2 muttered Harry* 2that /as a most singular thing

It is the first time such an accident has ha11ened to me

That stone falling ;ust at the moment /e /ere 1assing2

2Harry* it /as a mere chance2

2Chance*2 re1lied the young man* shaking his head 2%es* chance2

He sto11ed and listened

2:hat is the matter* Harry?2 asked the engineer

2I thought I heard someone /alking -ehind us*2 re1lied the

young miner* listening more attentively Then he added*

2#o* I must have -een mistaken &ean harder on my arm*

'r Starr Use me like a staff2

2 good solid staff* Harry*2 ans/ered .ames Starr 2I could not /ish

for a -etter than a fine fello/ like you2

They continued in silence along the dark nave Harry /as



evidently 1reoccu1ied* and fre3uently turned* trying to catch*

either some distant noise* or remote glimmer of light

But -ehind and -efore* all /as silence and darkness

CH!T"R I TH" OR$ 'I&%

T"# minutes after/ards* .ames Starr and Harry issued from

the 1rinci1al gallery They /ere no/ standing in a glade*

if /e may use this /ord to designate a vast and dark e7cavation

The 1lace* ho/ever* /as not entirely de1rived of daylight

fe/ rays straggled in through the o1ening of a deserted shaft

It /as -y means of this 1i1e that ventilation /as esta-lished

in the $ochart 1it O/ing to its lesser density* the /arm

air /as dra/n to/ards the %arro/ shaft Both air and light*

therefore* 1enetrated in some measure into the glade

Here Simon ord had lived /ith his family ten years*

in a su-terranean d/elling* hollo/ed out in the schistous mass*/here formerly stood the 1o/erful engines /hich /orked

the mechanical traction of the $ochart 1it

Such /as the ha-itation* 2his cottage*2 as he called it* in /hich

resided

the old overman s he had some means saved during a long life of toil*

ord could have afforded to live in the light of day* among trees*

or in any to/n of the kingdom he chose* -ut he and his /ife and son

1referred remaining in the mine* /here they /ere ha11y together*

having the same o1inions* ideas* and tastes %es* they

/ere 3uite fond of their cottage* -uried fifteen hundred feet

-elo/ Scottish soil mong other advantages* there /as no

fear that ta7 gatherers* or rent collectors /ould ever come

to trou-le its inha-itants

t this 1eriod* Simon ord* the former overman of the $ochart 1it*

-ore the /eight of si7ty0five years /ell Tall* ro-ust*

/ell0-uilt* he /ould have -een regarded as one of the most

cons1icuous men in the district /hich su11lies so many fine

fello/s to the Highland regiments

Simon ord /as descended from an old mining family* and his

ancestors had /orked the very first car-oniferous seams o1ened

in Scotland :ithout discussing /hether or not the >reeks

and Romans made use of coal* /hether the Chinese /orked coal

mines -efore the Christian era* /hether the rench /ord for coal(HOUI&&") is really derived from the farrier Houillos* /ho lived

in Belgium in the t/elfth century* /e may affirm that the -eds

in >reat Britain /ere the first ever regularly /orked

So early as the eleventh century* :illiam the Con3ueror divided

the 1roduce of the #e/castle -ed among his com1anions0in0arms

t the end of the thirteenth century* a license for the mining

of 2sea coal2 /as granted -y Henry III &astly* to/ards the end

of the same century* mention is made of the Scotch and :elsh -eds



It /as a-out this time that Simon ord6s ancestors 1enetrated

into the -o/els of Caledonian earth* and lived there ever after*

from father to son They /ere -ut 1lain miners They la-ored

like convicts at the /ork of e7tracting the 1recious com-usti-le

It is even -elieved that the coal miners* like the salt0makers

of that 1eriod* /ere actual slaves

Ho/ever that might have -een* Simon ord /as 1roud

of -elonging to this ancient family of Scotch miners

He had /orked diligently in the same 1lace /here his ancestors

had /ielded the 1ick* the cro/-ar* and the mattock

t thirty he /as overman of the $ochart 1it* the most im1ortant

in the -erfoyle colliery He /as devoted to his trade

$uring long years he @ealously 1erformed his duty

His only grief had -een to 1erceive the -ed -ecoming im1overished*

and to see the hour a11roaching /hen the seam /ould -e e7hausted

It /as then he devoted himself to the search for ne/ veins

in all the -erfoyle 1its* /hich communicated underground

one /ith another He had had the good luck to

discover several during the last 1eriod of the /orkingHis miner6s instinct assisted him marvelously* and the engineer*

.ames Starr* a11reciated him highly It might -e said that

he divined the course of seams in the de1ths of the coal mine

as a hydrosco1e reveals s1rings in the -o/els of the earth

He /as 1ar e7cellence the ty1e of a miner /hose /hole

e7istence is indissolu-ly connected /ith that of his mine

He had lived there from his -irth* and no/ that the /orks

/ere a-andoned he /ished to live there still His son Harry

foraged for the su-terranean housekee1ing9 as for himself*

during those ten years he had not -een ten times a-ove ground

2>o u1 there= :hat is the good?2 he /ould say* and refused

to leave his -lack domain The 1lace /as remarka-ly healthy*

su-;ect to an e3ua-le tem1erature9 the old overman endured

neither the heat of summer nor the cold of /inter

His family en;oyed good health9 /hat more could he desire?

But at heart he felt de1ressed He missed the former

animation* movement* and life in the /ell0/orked 1it

He /as* ho/ever* su11orted -y one fi7ed idea 2#o* no= the mine

is not e7hausted=2 he re1eated

nd that man /ould have given serious offense /ho could have ventured

to e71ress -efore Simon ord any dou-t that old -erfoyle /ould

one day revive= He had never given u1 the ho1e of discovering

some ne/ -ed /hich /ould restore the mine to its 1ast s1lendor

%es* he /ould /illingly* had it -een necessary* have resumedthe miner6s 1ick* and /ith his still stout arms vigorously attacked

the rock He /ent through the dark galleries* sometimes alone*

sometimes /ith his son* e7amining* searching for signs of coal*

only to return each day* /earied* -ut not in des1air* to the cottage

'adge* Simon6s faithful com1anion* his 2gude0/ife*2 to use

the Scotch term* /as a tall* strong* comely /oman 'adge had no

/ish to leave the $ochart 1it any more than had her hus-and

She shared all his ho1es and regrets She encouraged him*



she urged him on* and talked to him in a /ay /hich cheered the heart

of the old overman 2-erfoyle is only aslee1*2 she /ould say

2%ou are right a-out that* Simon This is -ut a rest*

it is not death=2

'adge* as /ell as the others* /as 1erfectly satisfied to live

inde1endent of the outer /orld* and /as the center of the ha11iness

en;oyed -y the little family in their dark cottage

The engineer /as eagerly e71ected Simon ord /as standing at his door*

and as soon as Harry6s lam1 announced the arrival of his former vie/er

he advanced to meet him

2:elcome* 'r Starr=2 he e7claimed* his voice echoing under

the roof of schist 2:elcome to the old overman6s cottage=

Though it is -uried fifteen hundred feet under the earth*

our house is not the less hos1ita-le2

2nd ho/ are you* good Simon?2 asked .ames Starr* gras1ing the hand/hich his host held out to him

2ery /ell* 'r Starr Ho/ could I -e other/ise here*

sheltered from the inclemencies of the /eather?

%our ladies /ho go to #e/haven or !orto-ello in the summer time

/ould do much -etter to 1ass a fe/ months in the coal mine

of -erfoyle= They /ould run no risk here of catching a heavy cold*

as they do in the dam1 streets of the old ca1ital2

2I6m not the man to contradict you* Simon*2 ans/ered .ames Starr*

glad to find the old man ;ust as he used to -e 2Indeed* I /onder /hy

I do not change my home in the Canongate for a cottage near you2

2nd /hy not* 'r Starr? I kno/ one of your old miners /ho /ould

-e truly 1leased to have only a 1artition /all -et/een you and him2

2nd ho/ is 'adge?2 asked the engineer

2The good/ife is in -etter health than I am* if that6s 1ossi-le*2

re1lied ord* 2and it /ill -e a 1leasure to her to see you at her ta-le

I think she /ill sur1ass herself to do you honor2

2:e shall see that* Simon* /e shall see that=2 said the engineer*

to /hom the announcement of a good -reakfast could not -e indifferent*

after his long /alk

2re you hungry* 'r Starr?2

2Ravenously hungry 'y ;ourney has given me an a11etite

I came through horri-le /eather2

2h* it is raining u1 there*2 res1onded Simon ord

2%es* Simon* and the /aters of the orth are as rough as the sea2



2:ell* 'r Starr* here it never rains But I needn6t descri-e

to you all the advantages* /hich you kno/ as /ell as myself

Here /e are at the cottage That is the chief thing* and I

again say you are /elcome* sir2

Simon ord* follo/ed -y Harry* ushered their guest into the d/elling

.ames Starr found himself in a large room lighted -y numerous lam1s*

one hanging from the colored -eams of the roof

2The sou1 is ready* /ife*2 said ord* 2and it mustn6t -e ke1t /aiting

any more than 'r Starr He is as hungry as a miner* and he shall

see that our -oy doesn6t let us /ant for anything in the cottage=

By0the0-ye* Harry*2 added the old overman* turning to his son*

2.ack Ryan came here to see you2

2I kno/* father :e met him in the %arro/ shaft2

2He6s an honest and a merry fello/*2 said ord9 2-ut he seems to -e

3uite

ha11y a-ove ground He hasn6t the true miner6s -lood in his veins

Sit do/n* 'r Starr* and have a good dinner* for /e may notsu1 till late2

s the engineer and his hosts /ere taking their 1lacesA

2One moment* Simon*2 said .ames Starr 2$o you /ant me to eat

/ith a good a11etite?2

2It /ill -e doing us all 1ossi-le honor* 'r Starr*2 ans/ered ord

2:ell* in order to eat heartily* I must not -e at all an7ious

#o/ I have t/o 3uestions to 1ut to you2

2>o on* sir2

2%our letter told me of a communication /hich /as to -e of

an interesting nature2

2It is very interesting indeed2

2To you?2

2To you and to me* 'r Starr But I do not /ant to tell

it you until after dinner* and on the very s1ot itself

:ithout that you /ould not -elieve me2

2Simon*2 resumed the engineer* 2look me straight in the face

n interesting communication? %es >ood= I /ill not ask more*2he added* as if he had read the re1ly in the old overman6s eyes

2nd the second 3uestion?2 asked the latter

2$o you kno/* Simon* /ho the 1erson is /ho can have /ritten this?2

ans/ered the engineer* handing him the anonymous letter



ord took the letter and read it attentively Then giving it to his

son*

2$o you kno/ the /riting?2 he asked

2#o* father*2 re1lied Harry

2nd had this letter the -erfoyle 1ostmark?2 in3uired Simon ord

2%es* like yours*2 re1lied .ames Starr

2:hat do you think of that* Harry?2 said his father* his -ro/ darkening

2I think* father*2 returned Harry* 2that someone has had some

interest in trying to 1revent 'r Starr from coming to the 1lace

/here you invited him2

2But /ho*2 e7claimed the old miner* 2/ho could have 1ossi-ly

guessed enough of my secret?2 nd Simon fell into a reverie*

from /hich he /as aroused -y his /ife

2&et us -egin* 'r Starr*2 she said 2The sou1 is already getting cold$on6t think any more of that letter ;ust no/2

On the old /oman6s invitation* each dre/ in his chair*

.ames Starr o11osite to 'adge00to do him honor00the father

and son o11osite to each other It /as a good Scotch dinner

irst they ate 2hotch1otch*2 sou1 /ith the meat s/imming

in ca1ital -roth s old Simon said* his /ife kne/ no rival

in the art of 1re1aring hotch1otch It /as the same /ith the

2cockyleeky*2 a cock ste/ed /ith leeks* /hich merited high 1raise

The /hole /as /ashed do/n /ith e7cellent ale* o-tained from

the -est -re/ery in "din-urgh

But the 1rinci1al dish consisted of a 2haggis*2 the national 1udding*

made of meat and -arley meal This remarka-le dish* /hich ins1ired

the 1oet Burns /ith one of his -est odes* shared the fate of all

the good things in this /orld00it 1assed a/ay like a dream

'adge received the sincere com1liments of her guest

The dinner ended /ith cheese and oatcake* accom1anied -y a fe/

small glasses of 2us3ue-augh*2 ca1ital /hisky* five and t/enty

years old00;ust Harry6s age The re1ast lasted a good hour

.ames Starr and Simon ord had not only eaten much* -ut talked

much too* chiefly of their 1ast life in the old -erfoyle mine

Harry had -een rather silent T/ice he had left the ta-le*

and even the house He evidently felt uneasy since the incident

of the stone* and /ished to e7amine the environs

of the cottage The anonymous letter had not contri-uted

to reassure him

:hilst he /as a-sent* the engineer o-served to ord and his /ife*

2That6s a fine lad you have there* my friends2

2%es* 'r Starr* he is a good and affectionate son*2

re1lied the old overman earnestly



2Is he ha11y /ith you in the cottage?2

2He /ould not /ish to leave us2

2$on6t you think of finding him a /ife* some day?2

2 /ife for Harry*2 e7claimed ord 2nd /ho /ould it -e?

girl from u1 yonder* /ho /ould love merry0makings and dancing*

/ho /ould 1refer her clan to our mine= Harry /ouldn6t do it=2

2Simon*2 said 'adge* 2you /ould not for-id that Harry should

take a /ife2

2I /ould for-id nothing*2 returned the old miner* 2-ut there6s

no hurry a-out that :ho kno/s -ut /e may find one for him002

Harry re0entered at that moment* and Simon ord /as silent

:hen 'adge rose from the ta-le* all follo/ed her e7am1le*

and seated themselves at the door of the cottage 2:ell* Simon*2said the engineer* 2I am ready to hear you2

2'r Starr*2 res1onded ord* 2I do not need your ears* -ut your legs

re you 3uite rested?2

2uite rested and 3uite refreshed* Simon I am ready to go /ith you

/herever you like2

2Harry*2 said Simon ord* turning to his son* 2light our safety lam1s2

2re you going to take safety lam1s=2 e7claimed .ames Starr*

in ama@ement* kno/ing that there /as no fear of e71losions

of fire0dam1 in a 1it 3uite em1ty of coal

2%es* 'r Starr* it /ill -e 1rudent2

2'y good Simon* /on6t you 1ro1ose ne7t to 1ut me in a miner6s dress?2

2#ot ;ust yet* sir* not ;ust yet=2 returned the old overman*

his dee10set eyes gleaming strangely

Harry soon rea11eared* carrying three safety lam1s

He handed one of these to the engineer* the other to his father*

and ke1t the third hanging from his left hand* /hilst his right

/as armed /ith a long stick

2or/ard=2 said Simon ord* taking u1 a strong 1ick* /hich /as leaning

against the /all of the cottage

2or/ard=2 echoed the engineer 2>ood0-y* 'adge2

2>O$ s1eed you=2 res1onded the good /oman

2 good su11er* /ife* do you hear?2 e7claimed ord 2:e shall

-e hungry /hen /e come -ack* and /ill do it ;ustice=2



CH!T"R SO'" STR#>" !H"#O'"#

'#% su1erstitious -eliefs e7ist -oth in the Highlands and &o/lands

of Scotland Of course the mining 1o1ulation must furnish its

contingent of legends and fa-les to this mythological re1ertory

If the fields are 1eo1led /ith imaginary -eings* either good

or -ad* /ith much more reason must the dark mines -e haunted

to their lo/est de1ths :ho shakes the seam during tem1estuous

nights? /ho 1uts the miners on the track of an as yet un/orked

vein? /ho lights the fire0dam1* and 1resides over the terri-le

e71losions? /ho -ut some s1irit of the mine? This* at least*

/as the o1inion commonly s1read among the su1erstitious Scotch

In the first rank of the -elievers in the su1ernatural

in the $ochart 1it figured .ack Ryan* Harry6s friend

He /as the great 1artisan of all these su1erstitions

ll these /ild stories /ere turned -y him into songs*

/hich earned him great a11lause in the /inter evenings

But .ack Ryan /as not alone in his -elief His comrades affirmed*

no less strongly* that the -erfoyle 1its /ere haunted*

and that certain strange -eings /ere seen there fre3uently*

;ust as in the Highlands To hear them talk* it /ould have

-een more e7traordinary if nothing of the kind a11eared

Could there indeed -e a -etter 1lace than a dark and dee1 coal

mine for the freaks of fairies* elves* go-lins* and other

actors in the fantastical dramas? The scenery /as all ready*

/hy should not the su1ernatural 1ersonages come there to

1lay their 1arts?

So reasoned .ack Ryan and his comrades in the -erfoyle mines

:e have said that the different 1its communicated /ith

each other -y means of long su-terranean galleries

Thus there e7isted -eneath the county of Stirling

a vast tract* full of -urro/s* tunnels* -ored /ith caves*

and 1erforated /ith shafts* a su-terranean la-yrinth*

/hich might -e com1ared to an enormous ant0hill

'iners* though -elonging to different 1its* often met* /hen going

to or returning from their /ork Conse3uently there /as a constant

o11ortunity of e7changing talk* and circulating the stories

/hich had their origin in the mine* from one 1it to another

These accounts /ere transmitted /ith marvelous ra1idity*

1assing from mouth to mouth* and gaining in /onder as they /ent

T/o men* ho/ever* -etter educated and /ith more 1ractical

minds than the rest* had al/ays resisted this tem1tation

They in no degree -elieved in the intervention of s1irits*

elves* or go-lins These t/o /ere Simon ord and his son

nd they 1roved it -y continuing to inha-it the dismal cry1t*

after the desertion of the $ochart 1it !erha1s good 'adge*

like every Highland /oman* had some leaning to/ards the su1ernatural

But she had to re1eat all these stories to herself* and so she did*

most conscientiously* so as not to let the old traditions -e lost



"ven had Simon and Harry ord -een as credulous as their com1anions*

they /ould not have a-andoned the mine to the im1s and fairies

or ten years* /ithout missing a single day* o-stinate and immova-le

in their convictions* the father and son took their 1icks* their sticks*

and their lam1s They /ent a-out searching* sounding the rock

/ith a shar1 -lo/* listening if it /ould return a favor0a-le sound

So long as the soundings had not -een 1ushed to the granite of the

1rimary formation* the ords /ere agreed that the search* unsuccessful

to0day* might succeed to0morro/* and that it ought to -e resumed

They s1ent their /hole life in endeavoring to -ring -erfoyle -ack

to its former 1ros1erity If the father died -efore the hour of

success*

the son /as to go on /ith the task alone

It /as during these e7cursions that Harry /as more 1articularly

struck -y certain 1henomena* /hich he vainly sought to e71lain

Several times* /hile /alking along some narro/ cross0alley*

he seemed to hear sounds similar to those /hich /ould -e 1roduced

-y violent -lo/s of a 1icka7 against the /all

Harry hastened to seek the cause of this mysterious /ork

The tunnel /as em1ty The light from the young miner6s

lam1* thro/n on the /all* revealed no trace of any recent /ork /ith 1ick

or cro/-ar Harry /ould then ask himself if it /as not the effect

of some acoustic illusion* or some strange and fantastic echo

t other times* on suddenly thro/ing a -right light into a

sus1icious0looking cleft in the rock* he thought he sa/ a shado/

He rushed for/ard #othing* and there /as no o1ening to 1ermit

a human -eing to evade his 1ursuit=

T/ice in one month* Harry* /hilst visiting the /est end of the 1it*

distinctly heard distant re1orts* as if some miner had e71loded

a charge of dynamite The second time* after many careful researches*

he found that a 1illar had ;ust -een -lo/n u1

By the light of his lam1* Harry carefully e7amined

the 1lace attacked -y the e71losion It had not -een made

in a sim1le em-ankment of stones* -ut in a mass of schist*

/hich had 1enetrated to this de1th in the coal stratum

Had the o-;ect of the e71losion -een to discover a ne/ vein?

Or had someone /ished sim1ly to destroy this 1ortion of the mine?

Thus he 3uestioned* and /hen he made kno/n this occurrence

to his father* neither could the old overman nor he himself

ans/er the 3uestion in a satisfactory /ay

2It is very 3ueer*2 Harry often re1eated 2The 1resence of anunkno/n -eing in the mine seems im1ossi-le* and yet there can

-e no dou-t a-out it $oes someone -esides ourselves /ish to find

out if a seam yet e7ists? Or* rather* has he attem1ted to destroy

/hat remains of the -erfoyle mines? But for /hat reason?

I /ill find that out* if it should cost me my life=2

fortnight -efore the day on /hich Harry ord guided

the engineer through the la-yrinth of the $ochart 1it*

he had -een on the 1oint of attaining the o-;ect of his search



He /as going over the south/est end of the mine* /ith a large

lantern in his hand ll at once* it seemed to him that a light

/as suddenly e7tinguished* some hundred feet -efore him*

at the end of a narro/ 1assage cut o-li3uely through the rock

He darted for/ard

His search /as in vain s Harry /ould not admit a su1ernatural

e71lanation for a 1hysical occurrence* he concluded that

certainly some strange -eing 1ro/led a-out in the 1it

But /hatever he could do* searching /ith the greatest

care* scrutini@ing every crevice in the gallery* he found

nothing for his trou-le

If .ack Ryan and the other su1erstitious fello/s in the mine had seen

these lights* they /ould* /ithout fail* have called them su1ernatural*

-ut Harry did not dream of doing so* nor did his father

nd /hen they talked over these 1henomena* evidently due to a

1hysical cause* 2'y lad*2 the old man /ould say* 2/e must /ait

It /ill all -e e71lained some day2

Ho/ever* it must -e o-served that* hitherto* neither Harrynor his father had ever -een e71osed to any act of violence

If the stone /hich had fallen at the feet of .ames Starr

had -een thro/n -y the hand of some ill0dis1osed 1erson*

it /as the first criminal act of that descri1tion

.ames Starr /as of o1inion that the stone had -ecome detached

from the roof of the gallery9 -ut Harry /ould not admit of such

a sim1le e71lanation ccording to him* the stone had not fallen*

it had -een thro/n9 for other/ise* /ithout re-ounding* it could

never have descri-ed a tra;ectory as it did

Harry sa/ in it a direct attem1t against himself and his father*

or even against the engineer

CH!T"R I SI'O# OR$6S "D!"RI'"#T

TH" old clock in the cottage struck one as .ames Starr and his t/o

com1anions /ent out dim light 1enetrated through the ventilating

shaft into the glade Harry6s lam1 /as not necessary here* -ut it

/ould very soon -e of use* for the old overman /as a-out to conduct

the engineer to the very end of the $ochart 1it

fter follo/ing the 1rinci1al gallery for a distance of t/o miles*

the three e71lorers00for* as /ill -e seen* this /as a regular

e71loration00arrived at the entrance of a narro/ tunnel It /as like a nave*

the roof of /hich rested on /ood/ork* covered /ith /hite moss

It follo/ed very nearly the line traced -y the course of the river

orth*

fifteen hundred feet a-ove

2So /e are going to the end of the last vein?2 said .ames Starr



2y= %ou kno/ the mine /ell still2

2:ell* Simon*2 returned the engineer* 2it /ill -e difficult to go

further than that* if I don6t mistake2

2%es* indeed* 'r Starr That /as /here our 1icks tore out the last

-it of coal in the seam I remem-er it as if it /ere yesterday

I myself gave that last -lo/* and it re0echoed in my heart more

dismally than on the rock Only sandstone and schist /ere round

us after that* and /hen the truck rolled to/ards the shaft*

I follo/ed* /ith my heart as full as though it /ere a funeral

It seemed to me that the soul of the mine /as going /ith it2

The gravity /ith /hich the old man uttered these /ords im1ressed

the engineer* /ho /as not far from sharing his sentiments

They /ere those of the sailor /ho leaves his disa-led vessel00

of the 1ro1rietor /ho sees the house of his ancestors 1ulled do/n

He 1ressed ord6s hand9 -ut no/ the latter sei@ed that of

the engineer* and* /ringing itA

2That day /e /ere all of us mistaken*2 he e7claimed 2#o= The oldmine /as not dead It /as not a cor1se that the miners a-andoned9

and I dare to assert* 'r Starr* that its heart -eats still2

2S1eak* ord= Have you discovered a ne/ vein?2 cried the engineer*

una-le to contain himself 2I kno/ you have= %our letter could

mean nothing else2

2'r Starr*2 said Simon ord* 2I did not /ish to tell any

man -ut yourself2

2nd you did 3uite right* ord But tell me ho/* -y /hat signs*

are you sure?2

2&isten* sir=2 resumed Simon 2It is not a seam that I have found2

2:hat is it* then?2

2Only 1ositive 1roof that such a seam e7ists2

2nd the 1roof?2

2Could fire0dam1 issue from the -o/els of the earth if coal

/as not there to 1roduce it?2

2#o* certainly not=2 re1lied the engineer 2#o coal* no fire0dam1

#o effects /ithout a cause2

2.ust as no smoke /ithout fire2

2nd have you recogni@ed the 1resence of light car-uretted hydrogen?2

2n old miner could not -e deceived*2 ans/ered ord 2I have met

/ith our old enemy* the fire0dam1=2

2But su11ose it /as another gas*2 said Starr 2iredam1 is almost



/ithout smell* and colorless It only really -etrays its 1resence

-y an e71losion2

2'r Starr*2 said Simon ord* 2/ill you let me tell you

/hat I have done? Harry had once or t/ice o-served something

remarka-le in his e7cursions to the /est end of the mine

ire* /hich suddenly /ent out* sometimes a11eared along the face

of the rock or on the em-ankment of the further galleries

Ho/ those flames /ere lighted* I could not and cannot say

But they /ere evidently o/ing to the 1resence of fire0dam1*

and to me fire0dam1 means a vein of coal2

2$id not these fires cause any e71losion?2 asked the engineer 3uickly

2%es* little 1artial e71losions*2 re1lied ord* 2such as I

used to cause myself /hen I /ished to ascertain the 1resence

of fire0dam1 $o you remem-er ho/ formerly it /as the custom

to try to 1revent e71losions -efore our good genius* Hum1hry $avy*

invented his safety0lam1?2

2%es*2 re1lied .ames Starr 2%ou mean /hat the 6monk*6 as the mencalled him* used to do But I have never seen him in the e7ercise

of his duty2

2Indeed* 'r Starr* you are too young* in s1ite of

your five0and0fifty years* to have seen that But I*

ten years older* often sa/ the last 6monk6 /orking in the mine

He /as called so -ecause he /ore a long ro-e like a monk

His 1ro1er name /as the 6fireman6 t that time there /as

no other means of destroying the -ad gas -ut -y dis1ersing

it in little e71losions* -efore its -uoyancy had collected

it in too great 3uantities in the heights of the galleries

The monk* as /e called him* /ith his face masked* his head muffled u1*

all his -ody tightly /ra11ed in a thick felt cloak* cra/led along

the ground He could -reathe do/n there* /hen the air /as 1ure9

and /ith his right hand he /aved a-ove his head a -la@ing torch

:hen the firedam1 had accumulated in the air* so as to form

a detonating mi7ture* the e71losion occurred /ithout -eing fatal*

and* -y often rene/ing this o1eration* catastro1hes /ere 1revented

Sometimes the 6monk6 /as in;ured or killed in his /ork*

then another took his 1lace This /as done in all mines until

the $avy lam1 /as universally ado1ted But I kne/ the 1lan*

and -y its means I discovered the 1resence of firedam1

and conse3uently that of a ne/ seam of coal in the $ochart 1it2

ll that the old overman had related of the so0called 2monk2

or 2fireman2 /as 1erfectly true The air in the galleries

of mines /as formerly al/ays 1urified in the /ay descri-ed

ire0dam1* marsh0gas* or car-uretted hydrogen* is colorless*

almost scentless9 it -urns /ith a -lue flame* and makes

res1iration im1ossi-le The miner could not live in a 1lace

filled /ith this in;urious gas* any more than one could live

in a gasometer full of common gas 'oreover* fire0dam1* as

/ell as the latter* a mi7ture of inflamma-le gases*

forms a detonating mi7ture as soon as the air unites /ith it

in a 1ro1ortion of eight* and 1erha1s even five to the hundred



:hen this mi7ture is lighted -y any cause* there is an e71losion*

almost al/ays follo/ed -y a frightful catastro1he

s they /alked on* Simon ord told the engineer all that he had done

to attain his o-;ect9 ho/ he /as sure that the esca1e of fire0dam1 took

1lace at the very end of the farthest gallery in its /estern 1art*

-ecause he had 1rovoked small and 1artial e71losions* or rather

little flames* enough to sho/ the nature of the gas* /hich esca1ed

in a small ;et* -ut /ith a continuous flo/

n hour after leaving the cottage* .ames Starr and his t/o com1anions

had gone a distance of four miles The engineer* urged -y an7iety

and ho1e* /alked on /ithout noticing the length of the /ay

He 1ondered over all that the old miner had told him* and mentally

/eighed

all the arguments /hich the latter had given in su11ort of his -elief

He agreed /ith him in thinking that the continued emission

of car-uretted hydrogen certainly sho/ed the e7istence of a ne/

coal0seam If it had -een merely a sort of 1ocket* full of gas*

as it is sometimes found amongst the rock* it /ould soon have

-een em1ty* and the 1henomenon have ceased But far from thatccording to Simon ord* the fire0dam1 esca1ed incessantly* and from

that fact the e7istence of an im1ortant vein might -e considered

certain

Conse3uently* the riches of the $ochart 1it /ere not entirely e7hausted

The chief 3uestion no/ /as* /hether this /as merely a vein /hich /ould

yield com1aratively little* or a -ed occu1ying a large e7tent

Harry* /ho 1receded his father and the engineer* sto11ed

2Here /e are=2 e7claimed the old miner 2t last*

thank Heaven= you are here* 'r Starr* and /e shall soon kno/2

The old overman6s voice trem-led slightly

2Be calm* my man=2 said the engineer 2I am as e7cited as you are*

-ut /e must not lose time2

The gallery at this end of the 1it /idened into a sort of dark cave

#o shaft had -een 1ierced in this 1art* and the gallery* -ored into

the -o/els of the earth* had no direct communication /ith the surface

of the earth

.ames Starr* /ith intense interest* e7amined the 1lace in /hich

they /ere standing On the /alls of the cavern the marks of

the 1ick could still -e seen* and even holes in /hich the rock

had -een -lasted* near the termination of the /orking

The schist /as e7cessively hard* and it had not -een necessaryto -ank u1 the end of the tunnel /here the /orks had come to an end

There the vein had failed* -et/een the schist and the tertiary

sandstone

rom this very 1lace had -een e7tracted the last 1iece of coal

from the $ochart 1it

2:e must attack the dyke*2 said ord* raising his 1ick9

2for at the other side of the -reak* at more or less de1th*

/e shall assuredly find the vein* the e7istence of /hich I assert2



2nd /as it on the surface of these rocks that you found out

the fire0dam1?2 asked .ames Starr

2.ust there* sir*2 returned ord* 2and I /as a-le to light

it only -y -ringing my lam1 near to the cracks in the rock

Harry has done it as /ell as I2

2t /hat height?2 asked Starr

2Ten feet from the ground*2 re1lied Harry

.ames Starr had seated himself on a rock fter critically

inhaling the air of the cavern* he ga@ed at the t/o miners*

almost as if dou-ting their /ords* decided as they /ere

In fact* car-uretted hydrogen is not com1letely scentless*

and the engineer* /hose sense of smell /as very keen* /as astonished

that it had not revealed the 1resence of the e71losive gas

t any rate* if the gas had mingled at all /ith the surrounding air*

it could only -e in a very small stream There /as no danger

of an e71losion* and they might /ithout fear o1en the safety lam1to try the e71eriment* ;ust as the old miner had done -efore

:hat trou-led .ames Starr /as* not lest too much gas

mingled /ith the air* -ut lest there should -e little or none

2Could they have -een mistaken?2 he murmured 2#oA these men kno/

/hat they are a-out nd yet002

He /aited* not /ithout some an7iety* until Simon ord6s 1henomenon

should

have taken 1lace But ;ust then it seemed that Harry* like himself*

had remarked the a-sence of the characteristic odor of fire0dam19

for he e7claimed in an altered voice* 2ather* I should say the gas

/as no longer esca1ing through the cracks=2

2#o longer=2 cried the old miner00and* 1ressing his li1s tight together*

he snuffed the air several times

Then* all at once* /ith a sudden movement* 2Hand me

your lam1* Harry*2 he said

ord took the lam1 /ith a trem-ling hand He dre/ off the /ire gau@e

case /hich surrounded the /ick* and the flame -urned in the o1en air

s they had e71ected* there /as no e71losion* -ut* /hat /as

more serious* there /as not even the slight crackling /hichindicates the 1resence of a small 3uantity of firedam1

Simon took the stick /hich Harry /as holding* fi7ed his lam1

to the end of it* and raised it high a-ove his head* u1 to /here

the gas* -y reason of its -uoyancy* /ould naturally accumulate

The flame of the lam1* -urning straight and clear* revealed no

trace of the car-uretted hydrogen

2Close to the /all*2 said the engineer



2%es*2 res1onded ord* carrying the lam1 to that 1art

of the /all at /hich he and his son had* the evening -efore*

1roved the esca1e of gas

The old miner6s arm trem-led /hilst he tried to hoist the lam1 u1

2Take my 1lace* Harry*2 said he

Harry took the stick* and successively 1resented the lam1 to the

different

fissures in the rock9 -ut he shook his head* for of that slight

crackling

1eculiar to esca1ing fire0dam1 he heard nothing There /as no flame

"vidently not a 1article of gas /as esca1ing through the rock

2#othing=2 cried ord* clenching his fist /ith a gesture rather

of anger than disa11ointment

cry esca1ed Harry

2:hat6s the matter?2 asked Starr 3uickly

2Someone has sto11ed u1 the cracks in the schist=2

2Is that true?2 e7claimed the old miner

2&ook* father=2 Harry /as not mistaken The o-struction

of the fissures /as clearly visi-le -y the light of the lam1

It had -een recently done /ith lime* leaving on the rock a long

/hitish mark* -adly concealed /ith coal dust

2It6s he=2 e7claimed Harry 2It can only -e he=2

2He?2 re1eated .ames Starr in ama@ement

2%es=2 returned the young man* 2that mysterious -eing /ho haunts

our domain* for /hom I have /atched a hundred times /ithout

-eing a-le to get at him00the author* /e may no/ -e certain*

of that letter /hich /as intended to hinder you from coming to see

my father* 'r Starr* and /ho finally thre/ that stone at us

in the gallery of the %arro/ shaft= h= there6s no dou-t a-out it9

there is a man6s hand in all that=2

Harry s1oke /ith such energy that conviction came instantly and fully

to the engineer6s mind s to the old overman* he /as already

convinced

Besides* there they /ere in the 1resence of an undenia-le fact00

the sto11ing0u1 of cracks through /hich gas had esca1ed freelythe night -efore

2Take your 1ick* Harry*2 cried ord9 2mount on my shoulders* my lad=

I am still strong enough to -ear you=2 The young man understood

in an instant His father 1ro11ed himself u1 against the rock

Harry got u1on his shoulders* so that /ith his 1ick he could reach

the line of the fissure Then /ith 3uick shar1 -lo/s he attacked it

lmost directly after/ards a slight sound /as heard* like cham1agne

esca1ing from a -ottle00a sound commonly e71ressed -y the /ord 21uff2



Harry again sei@ed his lam1* and held it to the o1ening

There /as a slight re1ort9 and a little red flame* rather -lue

at its outline* flickered over the rock like a :ill0o60the0:is1

Harry lea1ed to the ground* and the old overman* una-le to contain his

;oy* gras1ed the engineer6s hands* e7claiming* 2Hurrah= hurrah= hurrah=

'r Starr The fire0dam1 -urns= the vein is there=2

CH!T"R II #": B"RO%&"

TH" old overman6s e71eriment had succeeded iredam1* it is

/ell kno/n* is only generated in coal seams9 therefore the e7istence

of a vein of 1recious com-usti-le could no longer -e dou-ted

s to its si@e and 3uality* that must -e determined later

2%es*2 thought .ames Starr* 2-ehind that /all lies a car-oniferous -ed*

undiscovered -y our soundings It is ve7atious that all the a11aratus

of the mine* deserted for ten years* must -e set u1 ane/ #ever mind:e have found the vein /hich /as thought to -e e7hausted* and this time

it shall -e /orked to the end=2

2:ell* 'r Starr*2 asked ord* 2/hat do you think of our discovery?

:as I /rong to trou-le you? re you sorry to have 1aid this visit

to the $ochart 1it?2

2#o* no* my old friend=2 ans/ered Starr 2:e have not lost

our time9 -ut /e shall -e losing it no/* if /e do not return

immediately to the cottage To0morro/ /e /ill come -ack here

:e /ill -last this /all /ith dynamite :e /ill lay o1en

the ne/ vein* and after a series of soundings* if the seam

a11ears to -e large* I /ill form a ne/ -erfoyle Com1any*

to the great satisfaction of the old shareholders

Before three months have 1assed* the first corves full of coal

/ill have -een taken from the ne/ vein2

2:ell said* sir=2 cried Simon ord 2The old mine /ill gro/ young

again*

like a /ido/ /ho remarries= The -ustle of the old days /ill soon

-egin /ith the -lo/s of the 1ick* and mattock* -lasts of 1o/der*

rum-ling of /agons* neighing of horses* creaking of machines=

I shall see it all again= I ho1e* 'r Starr* that you /ill not think

me too old to rEsumE my duties of overman?2

2#o* Simon* no indeed= %ou /ear -etter than I do* my old friend=2

2nd* sir* you shall -e our vie/er again 'ay the ne/ /orking

last for many years* and 1ray Heaven I shall have the consolation

of dying /ithout seeing the end of it=2

The old miner /as overflo/ing /ith ;oy .ames Starr fully

entered into it9 -ut he let ord rave for them -oth

Harry alone remained thoughtful To his memory recurred

the succession of singular* ine71lica-le circumstances



+4F

attending the discovery of the ne/ -ed It made him uneasy

a-out the future

n hour after/ards* .ames Starr and his t/o com1anions /ere

-ack in the cottage The engineer su11ed /ith good a11etite*

listening /ith satisfaction to all the 1lans unfolded -y the old

overman9

and had it not -een for his e7citement a-out the ne7t day6s /ork*

he /ould never have sle1t -etter than in the 1erfect stillness

of the cottage

The follo/ing day* after a su-stantial -reakfast*

.ames Starr* Simon ord* Harry* and even 'adge herself* took the road

already traversed the day -efore ll looked like regular miners

They carried different tools* and some dynamite /ith /hich to -last

the rock Harry* -esides a large lantern* took a safety lam1*

/hich /ould -urn for t/elve hours It /as more than /as necessary

for the ;ourney there and -ack* including the time for the /orking00

su11osing a /orking /as 1ossi-le

2To /ork= to /ork=2 shouted ord* /hen the 1arty reached the further

end of the 1assage9 and he gras1ed a heavy cro/-ar and -randished it

2Sto1 one instant*2 said Starr 2&et us see if any change has

taken 1lace* and if the fire0dam1 still esca1es through the crevices2

2%ou are right* 'r Starr*2 said Harry 2:hoever sto11ed it u1

yesterday may have done it again to0day=2

'adge* seated on a rock* carefully o-served the e7cavation*

and the /all /hich /as to -e -lasted

It /as found that everything /as ;ust as they left it The crevices had

undergone no alteration9 the car-uretted hydrogen still filtered

through*

though in a small stream* /hich /as no dou-t -ecause it had had

a free 1assage since the day -efore s the 3uantity /as so small*

it could not have formed an e71losive mi7ture /ith the air inside

.ames Starr and his com1anions could therefore 1roceed in security

Besides* the air gre/ 1urer -y rising to the heights of the $ochart 1it9

and the fire0dam1* s1reading through the atmos1here* /ould not -e strong

enough to make any e71losion

2To /ork* then=2 re1eated ord9 and soon the rock fle/ in s1linters

under his skillful -lo/s The -reak /as chiefly com1osed

of 1udding0stone* inters1ersed /ith sandstone and schist*such as is most often met /ith -et/een the coal

veins .ames Starr 1icked u1 some of the 1ieces* and e7amined

them carefully* ho1ing to discover some trace of coal

Starr having chosen the 1lace /here the holes /ere to -e drilled*

they /ere ra1idly -ored -y Harry Some cartridges of dynamite

/ere 1ut into them s soon as the long* tarred safety

match /as laid* it /as lighted on a level /ith the ground



.ames Starr and his com1anions then /ent off to some distance

2Oh= 'r Starr*2 said Simon ord* a 1rey to agitation* /hich he did

not attem1t to conceal* 2never* no* never has my old heart -eaten

so 3uick -efore= I am longing to get at the vein=2

2!atience* Simon=2 res1onded the engineer 2%ou don6t mean

to say that you think you are going to find a 1assage all ready

o1en -ehind that dyke?2

2"7cuse me* sir*2 ans/ered the old overman9 2-ut of course I think so=

If there /as good luck in the /ay Harry and I discovered this 1lace*

/hy shouldn6t the good luck go on?2

s he s1oke* came the e71losion sound as of thunder

rolled through the la-yrinth of su-terranean galleries

Starr* 'adge* Harry* and Simon ord hastened to/ards the s1ot

2'r Starr= 'r Starr=2 shouted the overman 2&ook= the door

is -roken o1en=2

ord6s com1arison /as ;ustified -y the a11earance of

an e7cavation* the de1th of /hich could not -e calculated

Harry /as a-out to s1ring through the o1ening9 -ut the engineer*

though e7cessively sur1rised to find this cavity* held him -ack

2llo/ time for the air in there to get 1ure*2 said he

2%es= -e/are of the foul air=2 said Simon

3uarter of an hour /as 1assed in an7ious /aiting

The lantern /as then fastened to the end of a stick* and introduced

into the cave* /here it continued to -urn /ith unaltered -rilliancy

2#o/ then* Harry* go*2 said Starr* 2and /e /ill follo/ you2

The o1ening made -y the dynamite /as sufficiently large

to allo/ a man to 1ass through Harry* lam1 in hand*

entered unhesitatingly* and disa11eared in the darkness

His father* mother* and .ames Starr /aited in silence

minute00/hich seemed to them much longer001assed Harry did

not rea11ear* did not call >a@ing into the o1ening*

.ames Starr could not even see the light of his lam1* /hich ought

to have illuminated the dark cavern

Had the ground suddenly given /ay under Harry6s feet?

Had the young miner fallen into some crevice? Could his voice

no longer reach his com1anions?

The old overman* dead to their remonstrances* /as a-out to enter

the o1ening* /hen a light a11eared* dim at first* -ut gradually

gro/ing -righter* and Harry6s voice /as heard shouting*

2Come* 'r Starr= come* father= The road to #e/ -erfoyle is o1en=2

If* -y some su1erhuman 1o/er* engineers could have raised in a -lock*

a thousand feet thick* all that 1ortion of the terrestrial

crust /hich su11orts the lakes* rivers* gulfs* and territories

of the counties of Stirling* $um-arton* and Renfre/* they /ould



have found* under that enormous lid* an immense e7cavation*

to /hich -ut one other in the /orld can -e com1ared00

the cele-rated 'ammoth caves of 8entucky This e7cavation /as

com1osed of several hundred divisions of all si@es and sha1es

It might -e called a hive /ith num-erless ranges of cells*

ca1riciously arranged* -ut a hive on a vast scale* and /hich*

instead of -ees* might have lodged all the ichthyosauri*

megatheriums* and 1tero0dactyles of the geological e1och

la-yrinth of galleries* some higher than the most lofty cathedrals*

others like cloisters* narro/ and /inding00these follo/ing a hori@ontal

line* those on an incline or running o-li3uely in all directions00

connected the caverns and allo/ed free communication -et/een them

The 1illars sustaining the vaulted roofs* /hose curves allo/ed

of every style* the massive /alls -et/een the 1assages* the naves

themselves in this layer of secondary formation* /ere com1osed

of sandstone and schistous rocks But tightly 1acked -et/een these

useless strata ran valua-le veins of coal* as if the -lack -lood

of this strange mine had circulated through their tangled net/ork

These fields e7tended forty miles north and south* and stretchedeven under the Caledonian Canal The im1ortance of this -ed could

not -e calculated until after soundings* -ut it /ould certainly

sur1ass those of Cardiff and #e/castle

:e may add that the /orking of this mine /ould -e singularly

facilitated -y the fantastic dis1ositions of the secondary earths9

for -y an unaccounta-le retreat of the mineral matter

at the geological e1och* /hen the mass /as solidifying*

nature had already multi1lied the galleries and tunnels of #e/

-erfoyle

%es* nature alone= It might at first have -een su11osed that some /orks

a-andoned for centuries had -een discovered afresh #othing of the

sort

#o one /ould have deserted such riches Human termites had never gna/ed

a/ay this 1art of the Scottish su-soil9 nature herself had done it all

But* /e re1eat* it could -e com1ared to nothing -ut the cele-rated

'ammoth caves* /hich* in an e7tent of more than t/enty miles*

contain t/o hundred and t/enty0si7 avenues* eleven lakes* seven rivers*

eight cataracts* thirty0t/o unfathoma-le /ells* and fifty0seven domes*

some of /hich are more than four hundred and fifty feet in height

&ike these caves* #e/ -erfoyle /as not the /ork of men* -ut the /ork

of the Creator

Such /as this ne/ domain* of matchless /ealth* the discovery

of /hich -elonged entirely to the old overman Ten years6

so;ourn in the deserted mine* an uncommon 1ertinacity in research*1erfect faith* sustained -y a marvelous mining instinct00

all these 3ualities together led him to succeed /here so many

others had failed :hy had the soundings made under the direction

of .ames Starr during the last years of the /orking sto11ed

;ust at that limit* on the very frontier of the ne/ mine?

That /as all chance* /hich takes great 1art in researches

of this kind

Ho/ever that might -e* there /as* under the Scottish su-soil*



/hat might -e called a su-terranean county* /hich* to -e ha-ita-le*

needed only the rays of the sun* or* for /ant of that* the light

of a s1ecial 1lanet

:ater had collected in various hollo/s* forming vast 1onds*

or rather lakes larger than &och 8atrine* lying ;ust a-ove them

Of course the /aters of these lakes had no movement of currents or

tides9

no old castle /as reflected there9 no -irch or oak trees /aved on

their -anks nd yet these dee1 lakes* /hose mirror0like surface

/as never ruffled -y a -ree@e* /ould not -e /ithout charm -y the light

of some electric star* and* connected -y a string of canals*

/ould /ell com1lete the geogra1hy of this strange domain

lthough unfit for any vegeta-le 1roduction* the 1lace could -e

inha-ited

-y a /hole 1o1ulation nd /ho kno/s -ut that in this steady

tem1erature*

in the de1ths of the

mines of -erfoyle* as /ell as in those of #e/castle* lloa* orCardiff00

/hen their contents shall have -een e7hausted00/ho kno/s -ut that

the 1oorer classes of >reat Britain /ill some day find a refuge?

CH!T"R III "D!&ORI#>

T Harry6s call* .ames Starr* 'adge* and Simon ord entered

through the narro/ orifice /hich 1ut the $ochart 1it in

communication /ith the ne/ mine They found themselves at

the -eginning of a tolera-ly /ide gallery One might /ell -elieve

that it had -een 1ierced -y the hand of man* that the 1ick

and mattock had em1tied it in the /orking of a ne/ vein

The e71lorers 3uestion /hether* -y a strange chance* they had

not -een trans1orted into some ancient mine* of the e7istence

of /hich even the oldest miners in the county had ever kno/n

#o= It /as merely that the geological layers had left this

1assage /hen the secondary earths /ere in course of formation

!erha1s some torrent had formerly dashed through it9 -ut no/ it

/as as dry as if it had -een cut some thousand feet lo/er*

through granite rocks t the same time* the air circulated freely*

/hich sho/ed that certain natural vents 1laced it in communication

/ith the e7terior atmos1here

This o-servation* made -y the engineer* /as correct* and it /asevident that the ventilation of the ne/ mine /ould -e easily managed

s to the fire0dam1 /hich had lately filtered through the schist*

it seemed to have -een contained in a 1ocket no/ em1ty* and it /as

certain that the atmos1here of the gallery /as 3uite free from it

Ho/ever* Harry 1rudently carried only the safety lam1* /hich /ould

insure light for t/elve hours

.ames Starr and his com1anions no/ felt 1erfectly ha11y



ll their /ishes /ere satisfied There /as nothing -ut coal around

them

sort of emotion ke1t them silent9 even Simon ord restrained himself

His ;oy overflo/ed* not in long 1hrases* -ut in short e;aculations

It /as 1erha1s im1rudent to venture so far into the cry1t

!ooh= they never thought of ho/ they /ere to get -ack

The gallery /as 1ractica-le* not very /inding They met

/ith no no7ious e7halations* nor did any chasm -ar the 1ath

There /as no reason for sto11ing for a /hole hour9

.ames Starr* 'adge* Harry* and Simon ord /alked on*

though there /as nothing to sho/ them /hat /as the e7act

direction of this unkno/n tunnel

nd they /ould no dou-t have gone farther still* if they had not

suddenly come to the end of the /ide road /hich they had follo/ed

since their entrance into the mine

The gallery ended in an enormous cavern* neither the height nor

de1th of /hich could -e calculated t /hat altitude archedthe roof of this e7cavation00at /hat distance /as its o11osite /all00

the darkness totally concealed9 -ut -y the light of the lam1 the

e71lorers

could discover that its dome covered a vast e7tent of still /ater00

1ond or lake00/hose 1ictures3ue rocky -anks /ere lost in o-scurity

2Halt=2 e7claimed ord* sto11ing suddenly 2nother ste1*

and 1erha1s /e shall fall into some fathomless 1it2

2&et us rest a/hile* then* my friends*2 returned the engineer

2Besides* /e ought to -e thinking of returning to the cottage2

2Our lam1 /ill give light for another ten hours* sir*2 said Harry

2:ell* let us make a halt*2 re1lied Starr9 2I confess my legs

have need of a rest nd you* 'adge* don6t you feel tired

after so long a /alk?2

2#ot over much* 'r Starr*2 re1lied the sturdy Scotch/oman9

2/e have -een accustomed to e71lore the old -erfoyle mine

for /hole days together2

2Tired? nonsense=2 interru1ted Simon ord9 2'adge could go

ten times as far* if necessary But once more* 'r Starr*

/asn6t my communication /orth your trou-le in coming to hear it?

.ust dare to say no* 'r Starr* dare to say no=2

2:ell* my old friend* I haven6t felt so ha11y for a long /hile=2

re1lied the engineer9 2the small 1art of this marvelous mine that /e

have e71lored seems to sho/ that its e7tent is very considera-le*

at least in length2

2In /idth and in de1th* too* 'r Starr=2 returned Simon ord

2That /e shall kno/ later2



2nd I can ans/er for it= Trust to the instinct of an old miner=

It has never deceived me=2

2I /ish to -elieve you* Simon*2 re1lied the engineer* smiling

2s far as I can ;udge from this short e71loration* /e 1ossess

the elements of a /orking /hich /ill last for centuries=2

2Centuries=2 e7claimed Simon ord9 2I -elieve you* sir=

thousand years and more /ill 1ass -efore the last -it of coal

is taken out of our ne/ mine=2

2Heaven grant it=2 returned Starr 2s to the 3uality of the coal

/hich cro1s out of these /alls?2

2Su1er-= 'r Starr* su1er-=2 ans/ered ord9 2;ust look at it yourself=2

nd so saying* /ith his 1ick he struck off a fragment of the -lack rock

2&ook= look=2 he re1eated* holding it close to his lam19

2the surface of this 1iece of coal is shining= :e have here fat coal*rich in -ituminous matter9 and see ho/ it comes in 1ieces*

almost /ithout dust= h* 'r Starr= t/enty years ago this

seam /ould have entered into a strong com1etition /ith S/ansea

and Cardiff= :ell* stokers /ill 3uarrel for it still* and if it

costs little to e7tract it from the mine* it /ill not sell

at a less 1rice outside2

2Indeed*2 said 'adge* /ho had taken the fragment of coal and /as

e7amining it /ith the air of a connoisseur9 2that6s good 3uality

of coal Carry it home* Simon* carry it -ack to the cottage=

I /ant this first 1iece of coal to -urn under our kettle2

2:ell said* /ife=2 ans/ered the old overman* 2and you shall see

that I am not mistaken2

2'r Starr*2 asked Harry* 2have you any idea of the 1ro-a-le direction

of this long 1assage /hich /e have -een follo/ing since our entrance

into the ne/ mine?2

2#o* my lad*2 re1lied the engineer9 2/ith a com1ass I could

1erha1s find out its general -earing9 -ut /ithout a com1ass

I am here like a sailor in o1en sea* in the midst of fogs*

/hen there is no sun -y /hich to calculate his 1osition2

2#o dou-t* 'r Starr*2 re1lied ord9 2-ut 1ray don6t com1are

our 1osition /ith that of the sailor* /ho has every/here and

al/ays an a-yss under his feet= :e are on firm ground here*and need never -e afraid of foundering2

2I /on6t tease you* then* old Simon*2 ans/ered .ames Starr 2ar -e

it from me even in ;est to de1reciate the #e/ -erfoyle mine

-y an un;ust com1arison= I only meant to say one thing*

and that is that /e don6t kno/ /here /e are2

2:e are in the su-soil of the county of Stirling* 'r Starr*2



re1lied Simon ord9 2and that I assert as if002

2&isten=2 said Harry* interru1ting the old man

ll listened* as the young miner /as doing His ears* /hich /ere

very shar1* had caught a dull sound* like a distant murmur

His com1anions /ere not long in hearing it themselves

It /as a-ove their heads* a sort of rolling sound* in /hich though

it /as so fee-le* the successive CR"SC"#$O and $I'I#U"#$O could

-e distinctly heard

ll four stood for some minutes* their ears on the stretch*

/ithout uttering a /ord ll at once Simon ord e7claimed*

2:ell* I declare= re trucks already running on the rails

of #e/ -erfoyle?2

2ather*2 re1lied Harry* 2it sounds to me ;ust like the noise

made -y /aves rolling on the sea shore2

2:e can6t -e under the sea though=2 cried the old overman

2#o*2 said the engineer* 2-ut it is not im1ossi-le that /eshould -e under &och 8atrine2

2The roof cannot have much thickness ;ust here* if the noise

of the /ater is 1erce1ti-le2

2ery little indeed*2 ans/ered .ames Starr* 2and that is the reason

this cavern is so huge2

2%ou must -e right* 'r Starr*2 said Harry

2Besides* the /eather is so -ad outside*2 resumed Starr* 2that the

/aters

of the loch must -e as rough as those of the irth of orth2

2:ell= /hat does it matter after all?2 returned Simon ord9

2the seam /on6t -e any the /orse -ecause it is under a loch

It /ould not -e the first time that coal has -een looked for under

the very -ed of the ocean= :hen /e have to /ork under the -ottom

of the Caledonian Canal* /here /ill -e the harm?2

2:ell said* Simon*2 cried the engineer* /ho could not restrain a smile

at the overman6s enthusiasm9 2let us cut our trenches under the /aters

of the sea= &et us -ore the -ed of the tlantic like a strainer9

let us /ith our 1icks ;oin

our -rethren of the United States through the su-soil of the

ocean= let us dig into the center of the glo-e if necessary*to tear out the last scra1 of coal2

2re you ;oking* 'r Starr?2 asked ord* /ith a 1leased -ut

slightly sus1icious look

2I ;oking* old man? no= -ut you are so enthusiastic that you

carry me a/ay into the regions of im1ossi-ility= Come* let us

return to the reality* /hich is sufficiently -eautiful9

leave our 1icks here* /here /e may find them another day*



and let6s take the road -ack to the cottage2

#othing more could -e done for the time &ater* the engineer*

accom1anied -y a -rigade of miners* su11lied /ith lam1s

and all necessary tools* /ould rEsumE the e71loration of

#e/ -erfoyle It /as no/ time to return to the $ochart 1it

The road /as easy* the gallery running nearly straight

through the rock u1 to the orifice o1ened -y the dynamite*

so there /as no fear of their losing themselves

But as .ames Starr /as 1roceeding to/ards the gallery

Simon ord sto11ed him

2'r Starr*2 said he* 2you see this immense cavern*

this su-terranean lake* /hose /aters -athe this strand at our feet?

:ell= it is to this 1lace I mean to change my d/elling*

here I /ill -uild a ne/ cottage* and if some -rave fello/s /ill

follo/ my e7am1le* -efore a year is over there /ill -e one to/n

more inside old "ngland2

.ames Starr* smiling a11roval of ord6s 1lans* 1ressed his hand*and all three* 1receding 'adge* re0entered the gallery* on their /ay

-ack to the $ochart 1it or the first mile no incident occurred

Harry /alked first* holding his lam1 a-ove his head

He carefully follo/ed the 1rinci1al gallery* /ithout ever turning

aside into the narro/ tunnels /hich radiated to the right and left

It seemed as if the returning /as to -e accom1lished as easily

as the going* /hen an une71ected accident occurred /hich rendered

the situation of the e71lorers very serious

.ust at a moment /hen Harry /as raising his lam1 there came

a rush of air* as if caused -y the fla11ing of invisi-le /ings

The lam1 esca1ed from his hands* fell on the rocky ground*

and /as -roken to 1ieces

.ames Starr and his com1anions /ere suddenly 1lunged

in a-solute darkness ll the oil of the lam1 /as s1ilt*

and it /as of no further use 2:ell* Harry*2 cried his father*

2do you /ant us all to -reak our necks on the /ay -ack to the cottage?2

Harry did not ans/er He /ondered if he ought to sus1ect

the hand of a mysterious -eing in this last accident?

Could there 1ossi-ly e7ist in these de1ths an enemy /hose

unaccounta-le antagonism /ould one day create serious difficulties?

Had someone an interest in defending the ne/ coal field against

any attem1t at /orking it? In truth that seemed a-surd*

yet the facts s1oke for themselves* and they accumulated in sucha /ay as to change sim1le 1resum1tions into certainties

In the meantime the e71lorers6 situation /as -ad enough

They had no/* in the midst of -lack darkness* to follo/

the 1assage leading to the $ochart 1it for nearly five miles

There they /ould still have an hour6s /alk -efore reaching the cottage

2Come along*2 said Simon ord 2:e have no time to lose

:e must gro1e our /ay along* like -lind men There6s no fear



of losing our /ay The tunnels /hich o1en off our road are

only ;ust like those in a molehill* and -y follo/ing the chief

gallery /e shall of course reach the o1ening /e got in at

fter that* it is the old mine :e kno/ that* and it /on6t

-e the first time that Harry and I have found ourselves there

in the dark Besides* there /e shall find the lam1s that /e left

or/ard then= Harry* go first 'r Starr* follo/ him

'adge* you go ne7t* and I /ill -ring u1 the rear

-ove everything* don6t let us get se1arated2

ll com1lied /ith the old overman6s instructions

s he said* -y gro1ing carefully* they could not mistake the /ay

It /as only necessary to make the hands take the 1lace of the eyes*

and to trust to their instinct* /hich had /ith Simon ord

and his son -ecome a second nature

.ames Starr and his com1anions /alked on in the order agreed

They did not s1eak* -ut it /as not for /ant of thinking It -ecame

evident that they had an adversary But /hat /as he* and ho/ /ere they

to defend themselves against these mysteriously01re1ared attacks?

These dis3uieting ideas cro/ded into their -rains Ho/ever* this /asnot the moment to get discouraged

Harry* his arms e7tended* advanced /ith a firm ste1* touching first

one and then the other side of the 1assage

If a cleft or side o1ening 1resented itself* he felt /ith his hand

that it /as not the main /ay9 either the cleft /as too shallo/*

or the o1ening too narro/* and he thus ke1t in the right road

In darkness through /hich the eye could not in the slightest

degree 1ierce* this difficult return lasted t/o hours

By reckoning the time since they started* taking into

consideration that the /alking had not -een ra1id*

Starr calculated that he and his com1anions /ere near the o1ening

In fact* almost immediately* Harry sto11ed

2Have /e got to the end of the gallery?2 asked Simon ord

2%es*2 ans/ered the young miner

2:ell= have you not found the hole /hich connects #e/ -erfoyle

/ith the $ochart 1it?2

2#o*2 re1lied Harry* /hose im1atient hands met /ith nothing

-ut a solid /all

The old overman ste11ed for/ard* and himself felt the schistous rock cry esca1ed him

"ither the e71lorers had strayed from the right 1ath on their return*

or the narro/ orifice* -roken in the rock -y the dynamite* had -een

recently sto11ed u1 .ames Starr and his com1anions /ere 1risoners

in #e/ -erfoyle

CH!T"R ID TH" IR"0'I$"#S



:""8 after the events ;ust related had taken 1lace* .ames Starr6s

friends had -ecome very an7ious The engineer had disa11eared*

and no reason could -e -rought for/ard to e71lain his a-sence

They learnt* -y 3uestioning his servant* that he had em-arked

at >ranton !ier But from that time there /ere no traces

of .ames Starr Simon ord6s letter had re3uested secrecy*

and he had said nothing of his de1arture for the -erfoyle mines

Therefore in "din-urgh nothing /as talked of -ut the unaccounta-le

a-sence of the engineer Sir : "l1histon* the !resident

of the Royal Institution* communicated to his colleagues

a letter /hich .ames Starr had sent him* e7cusing himself

from -eing 1resent at the ne7t meeting of the society

T/o or three others 1roduced similar letters But

though these documents 1roved that Starr had left "din-urgh00

/hich /as kno/n -efore00they thre/ no light on /hat had -ecome

of him #o/* on the 1art of such a man* this 1rolonged a-sence*

so contrary to his usual ha-its* naturally first caused sur1rise*and then an7iety

notice /as inserted in the 1rinci1al ne/s1a1ers of the United 8ingdom

relative to the engineer .ames Starr* giving a descri1tion

of him and the date on /hich he left "din-urgh9 nothing more

could -e done -ut to /ait The time 1assed in great an7iety

The scientific /orld of "ngland /as inclined to -elieve that one

of its most distinguished mem-ers had 1ositively disa11eared

t the same time* /hen so many 1eo1le /ere thinking a-out

.ames Starr* Harry ord /as the su-;ect of no less an7iety

Only* instead of occu1ying 1u-lic attention* the son of the old

overman /as the cause of trou-le alone to the generally cheerful

mind of .ack Ryan

It may -e remem-ered that* in their encounter in the %arro/ shaft*

.ack Ryan had invited Harry to come a /eek after/ards to the festivities

at Irvine Harry had acce1ted and 1romised e71ressly to -e there

.ack Ryan kne/* having had it 1roved -y many circumstances*

that his friend /as a man of his /ord :ith him* a thing 1romised /as

a thing done #o/* at the Irvine merry0making* nothing /as /anting9

neither song* nor dance* nor fun of any sort00nothing -ut Harry ord

The notice relative to .ames Starr* 1u-lished in the 1a1ers*

had not yet -een seen -y Ryan The honest fello/ /as therefore

only /orried -y Harry6s a-sence* telling himself that something

serious could alone have 1revented him from kee1ing his 1romise

So* the day after the Irvine games* .ack Ryan intended to take therail/ay

from >lasgo/ and go to the $ochart 1it9 and this he /ould have done

had he not -een detained -y an accident /hich nearly cost him his life

Something /hich occurred on the night of the 4Gth of $ecem-er /as of a

nature to su11ort the o1inions of all 1artisans of the su1ernatural*

and there /ere many at 'elrose arm

Irvine* a little sea1ort of Renfre/* containing nearly seven

thousand inha-itants* lies in a shar1 -end made -y the Scottish coast*



near the mouth of the irth of Clyde The most ancient and the most

famed ruins on this 1art

of the coast /ere those of this castle of Ro-ert Stuart*

/hich -ore the name of $undonald Castle

t this 1eriod $undonald Castle* a refuge for all the stray go-lins

of the country* /as com1letely deserted It stood on the to1

of a high rock* t/o miles from the to/n* and /as seldom visited

Sometimes a fe/ strangers took it into their heads to e71lore

these old historical remains* -ut then they al/ays /ent alone

The inha-itants of Irvine /ould not have taken them there

at any 1rice Indeed* several legends /ere -ased on the story

of certain 2fire0maidens*2 /ho haunted the old castle

The most su1erstitious declared they had seen these fantastic

creatures /ith their o/n eyes .ack Ryan /as naturally one of them

It /as a fact that from time to time long flames a11eared*

sometimes on a -roken 1iece of /all* sometimes on the summit

of the to/er /hich /as the highest 1oint of $undonald Castle

$id these flames really assume a human sha1e* as /as asserted?

$id they merit the name of fire0maidens* given them -y the 1eo1le

of the coast? It /as evidently ;ust an o1tical delusion*

aided -y a good deal of credulity* and science could easily

have e71lained the 1henomenon

Ho/ever that might -e* these fire0maidens had the re1utation

of fre3uenting the ruins of the old castle and there

1erforming /ild straths1eys* es1ecially on dark nights

.ack Ryan* -old fello/ though he /as* /ould never have dared

to accom1any those dances /ith the music of his -ag1i1es

2Old #ick is enough for them=2 said he 2He doesn6t need me

to com1lete his infernal orchestra2

:e may /ell -elieve that these strange a11aritions

fre3uently furnished a te7t for the evening stories

.ack Ryan /as ending the evening /ith one of these

His auditors* trans1orted into the 1hantom /orld* /ere /orked

u1 into a state of mind /hich /ould -elieve anything

ll at once shouts /ere heard outside .ack Ryan sto11ed short

in the middle of his story* and all rushed out of the -arn

The night /as 1itchy dark S3ualls of /ind and rain s/e1t along

the -each T/o or three fishermen* their -acks against a rock*

the -etter to resist the /ind* /ere shouting at the to1

of their voices

.ack Ryan and his com1anions ran u1 to them The

shouts /ere* ho/ever* not for the inha-itants of the farm* -ut to /arn

men /ho* /ithout -eing a/are of it* /ere going to destruction

dark* confused mass a11eared some /ay out at sea It /as a vessel

/hose

1osition could -e seen -y her lights* for she carried a /hite one on

her foremast* a green on the star-oard side* and a red on the outside



She /as evidently running straight on the rocks

2 shi1 in distress?2 said Ryan

2y*2 ans/ered one of the fishermen* 2and no/ they /ant to tack*

-ut it6s too late=2

2$o they /ant to run ashore?2 said another

2It seems so*2 res1onded one of the fishermen* 2unless he has

-een misled -y some002

The man /as interru1ted -y a yell from .ack Could the cre/

have heard it? t any rate* it /as too late for them to -eat -ack

from the line of -reakers /hich gleamed /hite in the darkness

But it /as not* as might -e su11osed* a last effort of Ryan6s to /arn

the doomed shi1 He no/ had his -ack to the sea His com1anions

turned also* and ga@ed at a s1ot situated a-out half a mile inland

It /as $undonald Castle long flame t/isted and -ent under the gale*

on the summit of the old to/er

2The ire0'aiden=2 cried the su1erstitious men in terror

Clearly* it needed a good strong imagination to find any human

likeness in that flame :aving in the /ind like a luminous flag*

it seemed sometimes to fly round the to/er* as if it /as ;ust going out*

and a moment after it /as seen again dancing on its -lue 1oint

2The ire0'aiden= the ire0'aiden=2 cried the terrified

fishermen and 1easants

ll /as then e71lained The shi1* having lost her reckoning in the fog*

had taken this flame on the to1 of $undonald Castle for the Irvine

light

She thought herself at the entrance of the irth* ten miles to the

north*

/hen she /as really running on a shore /hich offered no refuge

:hat could -e done to save her* if there /as still time? It /as

too late frightful crash /as heard a-ove the tumult of the elements

The vessel had struck The /hite line of surf /as -roken for an

instant9

she heeled over on her side and lay among the rocks

t the same time* -y a strange coincidence* the long flame disa11eared*

as if it had -een s/e1t a/ay -y a violent gust "arth* sea* and sky/ere 1lunged in com1lete darkness

2The ire0'aiden=2 shouted Ryan* for the last time* as the a11arition*

/hich he and his com1anions -elieved su1ernatural* disa11eared

But then the courage of these su1erstitious Scotchmen*

/hich had failed -efore a fancied danger* returned in face

of a real one* /hich they /ere ready to -rave in order to save

their fello/0creatures The tem1est did not deter them

s heroic as they had -efore -een credulous* fastening ro1es



round their /aists* they rushed into the /aves to the aid

of those on the /reck

Ha11ily* they succeeded in their endeavors* although some00and -old

.ack Ryan /as among the num-er00/ere severely /ounded on the rocks

But the ca1tain of the vessel and the eight sailors /ho com1osed

his cre/ /ere hauled u1* safe and sound* on the -each

The shi1 /as the #or/egian -rig 'OT&* laden /ith tim-er* and -ound

for >lasgo/ Of the 'OT& herself nothing remained -ut a fe/ s1ars*

/ashed u1 -y the /aves* and dashed among the rocks on the -each

.ack Ryan and three of his com1anions* /ounded like himself*

/ere carried into a room of 'elrose arm* /here every care

/as lavished on them Ryan /as the most hurt* for /hen /ith

the ro1e round his /aist he had rushed into the sea* the /aves

had almost immediately dashed him -ack against the rocks

He /as -rought* indeed* very nearly lifeless on to the -each

The -rave fello/ /as therefore confined to -ed for several days*

to his great disgust Ho/ever* as soon as he /as given 1ermissionto sing as much as he liked* he -ore his trou-le 1atiently*

and the farm echoed all day /ith his ;ovial voice

But from this adventure he im-i-ed a more lively sentiment

of fear /ith regard to -ro/nies and other go-lins /ho amuse

themselves -y 1laguing mankind* and he made them res1onsi-le

for the catastro1he of the 'otala It /ould have -een vain

to try and convince him that the ire0'aidens did not e7ist*

and that the flame* so suddenly a11earing among the ruins* /as -ut

a natural 1henomenon #o reasoning could make him -elieve it

His com1anions /ere* if 1ossi-le* more o-stinate than he in

their credulity ccording to them* one of the ire0'aidens

had maliciously attracted the 'OT& to the coast s to /ishing

to 1unish her* as /ell try to -ring the tem1est to ;ustice=

The magistrates might order /hat arrests they 1leased* -ut a flame

cannot -e im1risoned* an im1al1a-le -eing can6t -e handcuffed

It must -e ackno/ledged that the researches /hich /ere ultimately

made gave ground* at least in a11earance* to this su1erstitious

/ay of e71laining the facts

The in3uiry /as made /ith great care Officials came to $undonald

Castle*

and they 1roceeded to conduct a most vigorous search

The magistrate /ished first to ascertain if the ground -ore

any foot1rints* /hich could -e attri-uted to other than go-lins6 feet

It /as im1ossi-le to find the least trace* /hether old or ne/

'oreover* the earth* still dam1 from the rain of the day -efore*/ould have 1reserved the least vestige

The result of all this /as* that the magistrates only got for their

trou-le a ne/ legend added to so many others00a legend /hich /ould

-e 1er1etuated -y the remem-rance of the catastro1he of the 'OT&*

and indis1uta-ly confirm the truth of the a11arition of the ire0

'aidens

hearty fello/ like .ack Ryan* /ith so strong a constitution*



could not -e long confined to his -ed fe/ s1rains and -ruises

/ere not 3uite enough to kee1 him on his -ack longer than he liked

He had not time to -e ill

.ack* therefore* soon got /ell s soon as he /as on his legs again*

-efore resuming his /ork on the farm* he /ished to go and visit

his friend Harry* and learn /hy he had not come to the Irvine

merry0making He could not understand his a-sence* for Harry

/as not a man /ho /ould /illingly 1romise and not 1erform

It /as unlikely* too* that the son of the old overman had not

heard of the /reck of the 'OT&* as it /as in all the 1a1ers

He must kno/ the 1art .ack had taken in it* and /hat had ha11ened

to him* and it /as unlike Harry not to hasten to the farm and see

ho/ his old chum /as going on

s Harry had not come* there must have -een something to 1revent him

.ack Ryan /ould as soon deny the e7istence of the ire0'aidens as

-elieve

in Harry6s indifference

T/o days after the catastro1he .ack left the farm merily*feeling nothing of his /ounds Singing in the fullness

of his heart* he a/oke the echoes of the cliff* as he /alked

to the station of the rail/ay* /hich I >lasgo/ /ould take

him to Stirling and Callander

s he /as /aiting for his train* his attention /as attracted -y a -ill

1osted u1 on the /alls* containing the follo/ing noticeA

2On the Fth of $ecem-er* the engineer* .ames Starr*

of "din-urgh* em-arked from >ranton !ier* on -oard the !rince

of :ales He disem-arked the same day at Stirling rom that

time nothing further has -een heard of him

2ny information concerning him is re3uested to -e sent to the !resident

of the Royal Institution* "din-urgh2

.ack Ryan* sto11ing -efore one of these advertisements*

read it t/ice over* /ith e7treme sur1rise

2'r Starr=2 he e7claimed 2:hy* on the Fth of $ecem-er I

met him /ith Harry on the ladder of the $ochart 1it=

That /as ten days ago= nd he has not -een seen from that time=

That e71lains /hy my chum didn6t come to Irvine2

nd /ithout taking time to inform the !resident of the Royal Institution

-y letter* /hat he kne/ relative to .ames Starr* .ack ;um1ed into

the train* determining to go first of all to the %arro/ shaftThere he /ould descend to the de1ths of the 1it* if necessary*

to find Harry* and /ith him /as sure to -e the engineer .ames Starr

2They haven6t turned u1 again*2 said he to himself 2:hy? Has anything

1revented them? Could any /ork of im1ortance kee1 them still at

the -ottom of the mine? I must find out=2 and Ryan* hastening his

ste1s*

arrived in less than an hour at the %arro/ shaft



"7ternally nothing /as changed The same silence around

#ot a living creature /as moving in that desert region

.ack entered the ruined shed /hich covered the o1ening of the shaft

He ga@ed do/n into the dark a-yss00nothing /as to -e seen

He listened00nothing /as to -e heard

2nd my lam1=2 he e7claimed9 2su11ose it isn6t in its 1lace=2

The lam1 /hich Ryan used /hen he visited the 1it /as usually

de1osited in a corner* near the landing of the to1most ladder

It had disa11eared

2Here is a nuisance=2 said .ack* -eginning to feel rather

uneasy Then* /ithout hesitating* su1erstitious though he /as*

2I /ill go*2 said he* 2though it6s as dark do/n there as in the lo/est

de1ths of the infernal regions=2

nd he -egan to descend the long flight of ladders* /hich led

do/n the gloomy shaft .ack Ryan had not forgotten his old

mining ha-its* and he /as /ell ac3uainted /ith the $ochart 1it*

or he /ould scarcely have dared to venture thusHe /ent very carefully* ho/ever His foot tried each round*

as some of them /ere /orm0eaten false ste1 /ould entail

a deadly fall* through this s1ace of fifteen hundred feet

He counted each landing as he 1assed it* kno/ing that he could

not reach the -ottom of the shaft until he had left the thirtieth

Once there* he /ould have no trou-le* so he thought*

in finding the cottage* -uilt* as /e have said* at the e7tremity

of the 1rinci1al 1assage

.ack Ryan /ent on thus until he got to the t/enty0si7th landing*

and conse3uently had t/o hundred feet -et/een him and the -ottom

Here he 1ut do/n his leg to feel for the first rung of the t/enty0

seventh

ladder But his foot s/inging in s1ace found nothing to rest on

He knelt do/n and felt a-out /ith his hand for the to1 of the ladder

It /as in vain

2Old #ick himself must have -een do/n this /ay=2 said .ack*

not /ithout a slight feeling of terror

He stood considering for some time* /ith folded arms*

and longing to -e a-le to 1ierce the im1enetra-le darkness

Then it occurred to him that if he could not get do/n*

neither could the inha-itants of the mine get u1 There /as no/ no

communication -et/een the de1ths of the 1it and the u11er regions

If the removal of the lo/er ladders of the %arro/ shaft had -eeneffected since his last visit to the cottage* /hat had -ecome

of Simon ord* his /ife* his son* and the engineer?

The 1rolonged a-sence of .ames Starr 1roved that he had not

left the 1it since the day Ryan met /ith him in the shaft

Ho/ had the cottage -een 1rovisioned since then?

The food of these unfortunate 1eo1le* im1risoned fifteen hundred

feet -elo/ the surface of the ground* must have -een e7hausted

-y this time



ll this 1assed through .ack6s mind* as he sa/ that -y himself

he could do nothing to get to the cottage He had no dou-t

-ut that communication had -een interru1ted

/ith a malevolent intention t any rate* the authorities must

-e informed* and that as soon as 1ossi-le

.ack Ryan -ent for/ard from the landing

2Harry= Harry=2 he shouted /ith his 1o/erful voice

Harry6s name echoed and re0echoed among the rocks* and finally died

a/ay in the de1ths of the shaft

Ryan ra1idly ascended the u11er ladders and returned to the light of

day

:ithout losing a moment he reached the Callander station* ;ust caught

the

e71ress to "din-urgh* and -y three o6clock /as -efore the &ord !rovost

There his declaration /as received His account /as given so clearly

that it could not -e dou-ted Sir :illiam "l1histon* !resident of

the Royal Institution* and not only colleague* -ut a 1ersonal

friend of Starr6s* /as also informed* and asked to direct

the search /hich /as to -e made /ithout delay in the mine

Several men /ere 1laced at his dis1osal* su11lied /ith lam1s*

1icks* long ro1e ladders* not forgetting 1rovisions and cordials

Then guided -y .ack Ryan* the 1arty set out for the -erfoyle mines

The same evening the e71edition arrived at the o1ening of

the %arro/ shaft* and descended to the t/enty0seventh landing*

at /hich .ack Ryan had -een sto11ed a fe/ hours 1reviously

The lam1s* fastened to long ro1es* /ere lo/ered do/n the shaft*

and it /as thus ascertained that the four last ladders /ere /anting

s soon as the lam1s had -een -rought u1* the men fi7ed to

the landing a ro1e ladder* /hich unrolled itself do/n the shaft*

and all descended one after the other .ack Ryan6s descent /as

the most difficult* for he /ent first do/n the s/inging ladders*

and fastened them for the others

The s1ace at the -ottom of the shaft /as com1letely deserted9

-ut Sir :illiam /as much sur1rised at hearing .ack Ryan e7claim*

2Here are -its of the ladders* and some of them half -urnt=2

2Burnt?2 re1eated Sir :illiam 2Indeed* here sure enough are cinders

/hich have evidently -een cold a long time=2

2$o you think* sir*2 asked Ryan* 2that 'r Starr could have had any

reason for -urning the ladders* and thus -reaking of communication

/ith the /orld?2

2Certainly not*2 ans/ered Sir :illiam "l1histon* /ho

had -ecome very thoughtful 2Come* my lad* lead us to the cottage

There /e shall ascertain the truth2



.ack Ryan shook his head* as if not at all convinced

Then* taking a lam1 from the hands of one of the men* he 1roceeded

/ith a ra1id ste1 along the 1rinci1al 1assage of the $ochart 1it

The others all follo/ed him

In a 3uarter of an hour the 1arty arrived at the e7cavation

in /hich stood Simon ord6s cottage There /as no light

in the /indo/ Ryan darted to the door* and thre/ it o1en

The house /as em1ty

They e7amined all the rooms in the som-er ha-itation

#o trace of violence /as to -e found ll /as in order* as if old

'adge had -een still there There /as even an am1le su11ly

of 1rovisions* enough to last the ord family for several days

The a-sence of the tenants of the cottage /as 3uite unaccounta-le

But /as it not 1ossi-le to find out the e7act time they had 3uitted it?

%es* for in this region* /here there /as no difference of day or night*

'adge /as accustomed to mark /ith a cross each day in her almanac

The almanac /as 1inned u1 on the /all* and there the last cross

had -een made at the th of $ecem-er9 that is to say* a day after

the arrival of .ames Starr* to /hich Ryan could 1ositively s/ear

It /as clear that on the th of $ecem-er* ten days ago*

Simon ord* his /ife* son* and guest* had 3uitted the cottage

Could a fresh e71loration of the mine* undertaken -y the engineer*

account for such a long a-sence? Certainly not

It /as intensely dark all round The lam1s held -y the men gave light

only ;ust /here they /ere standing Suddenly .ack Ryan uttered a cry

2&ook there* there=2

His finger /as 1ointing to a tolera-ly -right light* /hich /as

moving a-out in the distance 2fter that light* my men=2

e7claimed Sir :illiam

2It6s a go-lin light=2 said Ryan 2So /hat6s the use?

:e shall never catch it2

The 1resident and his men* little given to su1erstition*

darted off in the direction of the moving light .ack Ryan*

-ravely follo/ing their e7am1le* 3uickly overtook the head0most

of the 1arty

It /as a long and fatiguing chase The lantern seemed to -e carried

-y a -eing of small si@e* -ut singular agility

"very no/ and then it disa11eared -ehind some 1illar* then /as seen

again at the end of a cross gallery shar1 turn /ould 1lace

it out of sight* and it seemed to have com1letely disa11eared*

/hen all at once there /ould -e the light as -right as ever

Ho/ever* they gained very little on it* and Ryan6s -elief that they

could never catch it seemed far from groundless

fter an hour of this vain 1ursuit Sir :illiam "l1histon and his

com1anions had gone a long /ay in the south/est direction of the 1it*



and -egan to think they really had to do /ith an im1al1a-le -eing

.ust then it seemed as if the distance -et/een the go-lin and those /ho

/ere 1ursuing it /as -ecoming less Could it -e fatigued* or did this

invisi-le -eing /ish to entice Sir :illiam and his com1anions to the

1lace

/here the inha-itants of the cottage had 1erha1s themselves -een

enticed

It /as hard to say

The men* seeing that the distance lessened* redou-led their efforts

The light /hich had -efore -urnt at a distance of more than

t/o hundred feet -efore them /as no/ seen at less than fifty

The s1ace continued to diminish The -earer of the lam1

-ecame 1artially visi-le Sometimes* /hen it turned its head*

the indistinct 1rofile of a human face could -e made out*

and unless a s1rite could assume -odily sha1e* .ack Ryan

/as o-liged to confess that here /as no su1ernatural -eing

Then* s1ringing for/ard*00

2Courage* comrades=2 he e7claimed9 2it is getting tired=

:e shall soon catch it u1 no/* and if it can talk as /ell as itcan run /e shall hear a fine story2

But the 1ursuit had suddenly -ecome more difficult

They /ere in unkno/n regions of the mine9 narro/ 1assages

crossed each other like the /indings of a la-yrinth

The -earer of the lam1 might esca1e them as easily as 1ossi-le*

-y ;ust e7tinguishing the light and retreating into some dark refuge

2nd indeed*2 thought Sir :illiam* 2if it /ishes to avoid us*

/hy does it not do so?2

Hitherto there had evidently -een no intention to avoid them*

-ut ;ust as the thought crossed Sir :illiam6s mind the light

suddenly disa11eared* and the 1arty* continuing the 1ursuit*

found themselves -efore an e7tremely narro/ natural o1ening

in the schistous rocks

To trim their lam1s* s1ring for/ard* and dart through the o1ening*

/as for Sir :illiam and his 1arty -ut the /ork of an instant

But -efore they had gone a hundred 1aces along this ne/ gallery*

much /ider and loftier than the former* they all sto11ed short

There* near the /all* lay four -odies* stretched on the ground00

four cor1ses* 1erha1s=

2.ames Starr=2 e7claimed Sir :illiam "l1histon

2Harry= Harry=2 cried Ryan* thro/ing himself do/n -eside his friend

It /as indeed the engineer* 'adge* Simon* and Harry ord /ho /ere

lying there motionless But one of the -odies moved slightly*

and 'adge6s voice /as heard faintly murmuring* 2See to the others=

hel1 them first=2

Sir :illiam* .ack* and their com1anions endeavored to reanimate

the engineer and his friends -y getting them to s/allo/ a fe/ dro1s



of -randy They very soon succeeded The unfortunate 1eo1le*

shut u1 in that dark cavern for ten days* /ere dying of starvation

They must have 1erished had they not on three occasions

found a loaf of -read and a ;ug of /ater set near them

#o dou-t the charita-le -eing to /hom they o/ed their lives

/as una-le to do more for them

Sir :illiam /ondered /hether this might not have -een the /ork

of the strange s1rite /ho had allured them to the very s1ot

/here .ames Starr and his com1anions lay

Ho/ever that might -e* the engineer* 'adge* Simon* and Harry ord

/ere saved They /ere assisted to the cottage* 1assing through

the narro/ o1ening /hich the -earer of the strange light had a11arently

/ished to 1oint out to Sir :illiam This /as a natural o1ening

The 1assage /hich .ames Starr and his com1anions had made for

themselves /ith dynamite had -een com1letely -locked u1 /ith rocks

laid one u1on another

So* then* /hilst they had -een e71loring the vast cavern* the /ay

-ack had -een 1ur1osely closed against them -y a hostile hand

CH!T"R D CO& TO:#

THR"" years after the events /hich have ;ust -een related*

the guide0-ooks recommended as a 2great attraction*2

to the numerous tourists /ho roam over the county of Stirling*

a visit of a fe/ hours to the mines of #e/ -erfoyle

#o mine in any country* either in the Old or #e/ :orld*

could 1resent a more curious as1ect

To -egin /ith* the visitor /as trans1orted /ithout danger

or fatigue to a level /ith the /orkings* at fifteen

hundred feet -elo/ the surface of the ground Seven miles

to the south/est of Callander o1ened a slanting tunnel*

adorned /ith a castellated entrance* turrets and -attlements

This lofty tunnel gently slo1ed straight to the stu1endous cry1t*

hollo/ed out so strangely in the -o/els of the earth

dou-le line of rail/ay* the /agons -eing moved -y hydraulic 1o/er*

1lied from hour to hour to and from the village thus -uried in the

su-soil

of the county* and /hich -ore the rather am-itious title of Coal To/n

rrived in Coal To/n* the visitor found himself in a 1lace /hereelectricity 1layed a 1rinci1al 1art as an agent of heat and light

lthough the ventilation shafts /ere numerous* they /ere not

sufficient to admit much daylight into #e/ -erfoyle* yet it had

a-undance of light This /as shed from num-ers of electric discs9

some sus1ended from the vaulted roofs* others hanging on

the natural 1illars00all* /hether suns or stars in si@e* /ere fed

-y continuous currents 1roduced from electro0magnetic machines

:hen the hour of rest arrived* an artificial night /as easily

1roduced all over the mine -y disconnecting the /ires



Belo/ the dome lay a lake of an e7tent to -e com1ared to the $ead Sea

of the 'ammoth caves00a dee1 lake /hose trans1arent /aters s/armed /ith

eyeless fish* and to /hich the engineer gave the name of &och 'alcolm

There* in this immense natural e7cavation* Simon ord -uilt his

ne/ cottage* /hich he /ould not have e7changed for the finest house

in !rince6s Street* "din-urgh This d/elling /as situated on the shores

of the loch* and its five /indo/s looked out on the dark /aters*

/hich e7tended further than the eye could see T/o months later a

second

ha-itation /as erected in the neigh-orhood of Simon ord6s cottageA

this /as for .ames Starr The engineer had given

++

himself -ody and soul to #e/ -erfoyle* and nothing -ut the most

im1erative necessity ever caused him to leave the 1it

There* then* he lived in the midst of his mining /orld

On the discovery of the ne/ field* all the old colliers had hastenedto leave the 1lo/ and harro/* and rEsumE the 1ick and mattock

ttracted -y the certainty that /ork /ould never fail* allured -y

the high /ages /hich the 1ros1erity of the mine ena-led the com1any

to offer for la-or* they deserted the o1en air for an underground life*

and took u1 their a-ode in the mines

The miners6 houses* -uilt of -rick* soon gre/ u1 in a 1ictures3ue

fashion9

some on the -anks of &och 'alcolm* others under the arches /hich seemed

made to resist the /eight that 1ressed u1on them* like the 1iers

of a -ridge So /as founded Coal To/n* situated under the eastern

1oint of &och 8atrine* to the north of the county of Stirling It /as

a regular settlement on the -anks of &och 'alcolm cha1el*

dedicated to St >iles* overlooked it from the to1 of a huge rock*

/hose foot /as laved -y the /aters of the su-terranean sea

:hen this underground to/n /as lighted u1 -y the -right rays

thro/n from the discs* hung from the 1illars and arches*

its as1ect /as so strange* so fantastic* that it ;ustified

the 1raise of the guide0-ooks* and visitors flocked to see it

It is needless to say that the inha-itants of Coal To/n /ere

1roud of their 1lace They rarely left their la-oring village00

in that imitating Simon ord* /ho never /ished to go out again

The old overman maintained that it al/ays rained 2u1 there*2

and* considering the climate of the United 8ingdom*

it must -e ackno/ledged that he /as not far /rongll the families in #e/ -erfoyle 1ros1ered /ell* having in

three years o-tained a certain com01etency /hich they could

never have ho1ed to attain on the surface of the county

$o@ens of -a-ies* /ho /ere -orn at the time /hen the /orks

/ere resumed* had never yet -reathed the outer air

This made .ack Ryan remark* 2It6s eighteen months since they /ere

/eaned*

and they have not yet seen daylight=2



It may -e mentioned here* that one of the first to run at the engineer6s

call /as .ack Ryan The merry fello/ had

thought it his duty to return to his old trade

But though 'elrose farm had lost singer and 1i1er it must

not -e thought that .ack Ryan sung no more On the contrary*

the sonorous echoes of #e/ -erfoyle e7erted their strong lungs

to ans/er him

.ack Ryan took u1 his a-ode in Simon ord6s ne/ cottage They offered

him

a room* /hich he acce1ted /ithout ceremony* in his frank and hearty /ay

Old 'adge loved him for his fine character and good nature

She in some degree shared his ideas on the su-;ect of the fantastic

-eings /ho /ere su11osed to haunt the mine* and the t/o* /hen alone*

told each other stories /ild enough to make one shudder00stories /ell

/orthy of enriching the hy1er-orean mythology

.ack thus -ecame the life of the cottage He /as* -esides -eing

a ;ovial com1anion* a good /orkman Si7 months after the /orkshad -egun* he /as made head of a gang of he/ers

2That /as a good /ork done* 'r ord*2 said he* a fe/ days

after his a11ointment 2%ou discovered a ne/ field* and though

you narro/ly esca1ed 1aying for the discovery /ith your life00

/ell* it /as not too dearly -ought2

2#o* .ack* it /as a good -argain /e made that time=2

ans/ered the old overman 2But neither 'r Starr nor I have

forgotten that to you /e o/e our lives2

2#ot at all*2 returned .ack 2%ou o/e them to your son Harry*

/hen he had the good sense to acce1t my invitation to Irvine2

2nd not to go* isn6t that it?2 interru1ted Harry* gras1ing his

comrade6s hand 2#o* .ack* it is to you* scarcely healed of your

/ounds00

to you* /ho did not delay a day* no* nor an hour* that /e o/e our -eing

found still alive in the mine=2

2Ru--ish* no=2 -roke in the o-stinate fello/

2I /on6t have that said* /hen it6s no such thing

I hurried to find out /hat had -ecome of you* Harry* that6s all

But to give everyone his due* I /ill add that /ithout

that una11roacha-le go-lin002

2h* there /e are=2 cried ord 2 go-lin=2

2 go-lin* a -ro/nie* a fairy6s child*2 re1eated .ack Ryan*

2a cousin of the ire0'aidens* an Urisk* /hatever you like=

It6s not the less certain that /ithout it /e should

never have found our /ay into the gallery* from /hich you could

not get out2

2#o dou-t* .ack*2 ans/ered Harry 2It remains to -e seen /hether



this -eing /as as su1ernatural as you choose to -elieve2

2Su1ernatural=2 e7claimed Ryan 2But it /as as su1ernatural

as a :ill0o60the0:is1* /ho may -e seen ski11ing along

/ith his lantern in his hand9 you may try to catch him*

-ut he esca1es like a fairy* and vanishes like a shado/=

$on6t -e uneasy* Harry* /e shall see it again some day or other=2

2:ell* .ack*2 said Simon ord* 2:ill0o60the0:is1 or not*

/e shall try to find it* and you must hel1 us2

2%ou6ll get into a scra1 if you don6t take care* 'r ord=2

res1onded .ack Ryan

2:e6ll see a-out that* .ack=2

:e may easily imagine ho/ soon this domain of #e/ -erfoyle -ecame

familiar to all the mem-ers of the ord family* -ut more 1articularly

to Harry He learnt to kno/ all its most secret ins and outs

He could even say /hat 1oint of the surface corres1onded /ith /hat 1oint

of the mine He kne/ that a-ove this seam lay the irth of Clyde*that there e7tended &och &omond and &och 8atrine Those columns

su11orted

a s1ur of the >ram1ian mountains This vault served as a -asement

to $um-arton -ove this large 1ond 1assed the Balloch rail/ay

Here ended the Scottish coast There -egan the sea* the tumult

of /hich could -e distinctly heard during the e3uinoctial gales

Harry /ould have -een a first0rate guide to these natural catacom-s*

and all that l1ine guides do on their sno/y 1eaks in daylight he could

have done in the dark mine -y the /onderful 1o/er of instinct

He loved #e/ -erfoyle 'any times* /ith his lam1 stuck

in his hat* did he 1enetrate its furthest de1ths

He e71lored its 1onds in a skillfully0managed canoe

He even /ent shooting* for numerous -irds had -een introduced

into the cry1t001intails* sni1es* ducks* /ho fed on the fish

/hich s/armed in the dee1 /aters Harry6s eyes seemed made

for the dark* ;ust as a sailor6s are made for distances

But all this /hile Harry felt irresisti-ly animated -y

the ho1e of finding the mysterious -eing /hose intervention*

strictly s1eaking* had saved himself and his friends :ould

he succeed? He certainly /ould* if 1resentiments /ere to -e trusted9

-ut certainly not* if he ;udged -y the success /hich had as yet

attended his researches

The attacks directed against the family of the old overman*

-efore the discovery of #e/ -erfoyle* had not -een rene/ed

CH!T"R DI H#>I#> B% THR"$

&THOU>H in this /ay the ord family led a ha11y and contented life*

yet it /as easy to see that Harry* naturally of a grave dis1osition*

-ecame more and more 3uiet and reserved "ven .ack Ryan* /ith all

his good humor and usually infectious merriment* failed to rouse him



to gayety of manner

One Sunday00it /as in the month of .une00the t/o friends /ere

/alking together on the shores of &och 'alcolm Coal To/n rested

from la-or In the /orld a-ove* stormy /eather 1revailed

iolent rains fell* and dull sultry va1ors -rooded over the earth9

the atmos1here /as most o11ressive

$o/n in Coal To/n there /as 1erfect calm9 no /ind* no rain

soft and 1leasant tem1erature e7isted instead of the strife

of the elements /hich raged /ithout :hat /onder then*

that e7cursionists from Stirling came in considera-le num-ers

to en;oy the calm fresh air in the recesses of the mine?

The electric discs shed a -rilliancy of light /hich the British sun*

oftener o-scured -y fogs than it ought to -e* might /ell envy

.ack Ryan ke1t talking of these visitors* /ho 1assed them in noisy

cro/ds*

-ut Harry 1aid very little attention to /hat he said

2I say* do look* Harry=2 cried .ack 2See /hat num-ers of 1eo1lecome to visit us= Cheer u1* old fello/= $o the honors of the 1lace

a little -etter If you look so glum* you6ll make all these outside

folks think you envy their life a-ove0ground2

2#ever mind me* .ack*2 ans/ered Harry 2%ou are ;olly enough for t/o*

I6m sure9 that6s enough2

2I6ll -e hanged if I don6t feel your melancholy cree1ing over me

though=2

e7claimed .ack 2I declare my eyes

are getting 3uite dull* my li1s are dra/n together*

my laugh sticks in my throat9 I6m forgetting all my songs

Come* man* /hat6s the matter /ith you?2

2%ou kno/ /ell enough* .ack2

2:hat? the old story?2

2%es* the same thoughts haunt me2

2h* 1oor fello/=2 said .ack* shrugging his shoulders

2If you /ould only do like me* and set all the 3ueer things

do/n to the account of the go-lins of the mine* you /ould

-e easier in your mind2

2But* .ack* you kno/ very /ell that these go-lins e7ist only inyour imagination* and that* since the /orks here have -een reo1ened*

not a single one has -een seen2

2That6s true* Harry9 -ut if no s1irits have -een seen* neither has

anyone else to /hom you could attri-ute the e7traordinary doings /e

/ant to account for2

2I shall discover them2



2h* Harry= Harry= it6s not so easy to catch the s1irits

of #e/ -erfoyle=2

2I shall find out the s1irits as you call them*2 said Harry*

in a tone of firm conviction

2$o you e71ect to -e a-le to 1unish them?2

2Both 1unish and re/ard Remem-er* if one hand shut us u1

in that 1assage* another hand delivered us= I shall not

soon forget that2

2But* Harry* ho/ can /e -e sure that these t/o hands do not -elong

to the same -ody?2

2:hat can 1ut such a notion in your head* .ack?2 asked Harry

2:ell* I don6t kno/ Creatures that live in these holes* Harry* don6t

you

see? they can6t -e made like us* eh?2

2But they R" ;ust like us* .ack2

2Oh* no= don6t say that* Harry= !erha1s some madman managed to get

in for a time2

2 madman= #o madman /ould have formed such connected 1lans*

or done such continued mischief as -efell us after the -reaking

of the ladders2

2:ell* -ut anyho/ he has done no harm for the last three years*

either to you* Harry* or any of your 1eo1le2

2#o matter* .ack*2 re1lied Harry9 2I am 1ersuaded that this malignant

-eing* /hoever he is* has -y no means given u1 his evil intentions

I can hardly say on /hat I

found my convictions But at any rate* for the sake of the ne/ /orks*

I must and /ill kno/ /ho he is and /hence he comes2

2or the sake of the ne/ /orks did you say?2 asked .ack*

considera-ly sur1rised

2I said so* .ack*2 returned Harry 2I may -e mistaken*

-ut* to me* all that has ha11ened 1roves the e7istence

of an interest in this mine in strong o11osition to ours

'any a time have I considered the matter9 I feel almost sure of it

.ust consider the /hole series of ine71lica-le circumstances*so singularly linked together To -egin /ith* the anonymous letter*

contradictory to that of my father* at once 1roves that some

man had -ecome a/are of our 1ro;ects* and /ished to 1revent

their accom1lishment 'r Starr comes to see us at the $ochart 1it

#o sooner does he enter it /ith me than an immense stone is

cast u1on us* and communication is interru1ted -y the -reaking

of the ladders in the %arro/ shaft :e commence e71loring

n e71eriment* -y /hich the e7istence of a ne/ vein /ould

-e 1roved* is rendered im1ossi-le -y sto11age of fissures



#ot/ithstanding this* the e7amination is carried out*

the vein discovered :e return as /e came* a 1rodigious

gust of air meets us* our lam1 is -roken* utter darkness

surrounds us #evertheless* /e make our /ay along the gloomy

1assage until* on reaching the entrance* /e find it -locked u1

There /e /ere00im1risoned #o/* .ack* don6t you see in all

these things a malicious intention? h* yes* -elieve me*

some -eing hitherto invisi-le* -ut not su1ernatural* as you /ill

1ersist in thinking* /as concealed in the mine or some reason*

kno/n only to himself* he strove to kee1 us out of it

:S there* did I say? I feel an in/ard conviction that he IS

there still* and 1ro-a-ly 1re1ares some terri-le disaster for us

"ven at the risk of my life* .ack* I am resolved to discover him2

Harry s1oke /ith an earnestness /hich strongly im1ressed his com1anion

2:ell* Harry*2 said he* 2if I am forced to agree /ith you in

certain 1oints* /on6t you admit that some kind fairy or -ro/nie*

-y -ringing -read and /ater to you* /as the means of002

2.ack* my friend*2 interru1ted Harry* 2it is my -elief that

the friendly 1erson* /hom you /ill 1ersist in calling a s1irit*e7ists in the mine as certainly as the criminal /e

s1eak of* and I mean to seek them -oth in the most distant recesses

of the mine2

2But*2 in3uired .ack* 2have you any 1ossi-le cle/ to guide your search?2

2!erha1s I have &isten to me= ive miles /est of #e/ -erfoyle*

under the solid rock /hich su11orts Ben &omond* there e7ists a

natural shaft /hich descends 1er1endicularly into the vein -eneath

/eek ago I /ent to ascertain the de1th of this shaft

:hile sounding it* and -ending over the o1ening as my 1lum-0line

/ent do/n* it seemed to me that the air /ithin /as agitated*

as though -eaten -y huge /ings2

2Some -ird must have got lost among the lo/er galleries*2 re1lied .ack

2But that is not all* .ack This very morning I /ent -ack

to the 1lace* and* listening attentively* I thought I could

detect a sound like a sort of groaning2

2>roaning=2 cried .ack* 2that must -e nonsense9 it /as a current of

air00

unless indeed some ghost002

2I shall kno/ to0morro/ /hat it /as*2 said Harry

2To0morro/?2 ans/ered .ack* looking at his friend

2%es9 to0morro/ I am going do/n into that a-yss2

2Harry= that /ill -e a tem1ting of !rovidence2

2#o* .ack* !rovidence /ill aid me in the attem1t Tomorro/* you

and some of our comrades /ill go /ith me to that shaft

I /ill fasten myself to a long ro1e* -y /hich you can let me do/n*



and dra/ me u1 at a given signal I may de1end u1on you* .ack?2

2:ell* Harry*2 said .ack* shaking his head* 2I /ill do as you /ish me9

-ut I tell you all the same* you are very /rong2

2#othing venture nothing /in*2 said Harry* in a tone of decision

2To0morro/ morning* then* at si7 o6clock Be silent* and fare/ell=2

It must -e admitted that .ack Ryan6s fears /ere far from groundless

Harry /ould e71ose himself to very great danger* su11osing the enemy

he sought for lay concealed at the -ottom of the 1it into /hich he /as

going to descend It did not seem likely that such /as the case*

ho/ever

2:hy in the /orld*2 re1eated .ack Ryan* 2should he take all this

trou-le to account for a set of facts so very

easily and sim1ly e71lained -y the su1ernatural intervention

of the s1irits of the mine?2

But* not/ithstanding his o-;ections to the scheme* .ack Ryan andthree miners of his gang arrived ne7t morning /ith Harry at the mouth

of the o1ening of the sus1icious shaft Harry had not mentioned

his intentions either to .ames Starr or to the old overman

.ack had -een discreet enough to say nothing

Harry had 1rovided himself /ith a ro1e a-out G,, feet long

It /as not 1articularly thick* -ut very strong00sufficiently so to

sustain his /eight His friends /ere to let him do/n into the gulf*

and his 1ulling the cord /as to -e the signal to /ithdra/ him

The o1ening into this shaft or /ell /as t/elve feet /ide

-eam /as thro/n across like a -ridge* so that the cord

1assing over it should hang do/n the center of the o1ening*

and save Harry from striking against the sides in his descent

He /as ready

2re you still determined to e71lore this a-yss?2 /his1ered .ack Ryan

2%es* I am* .ack2

The cord /as fastened round Harry6s thighs and under his arms*

to kee1 him from rocking Thus su11orted* he /as free to use

-oth his hands safety0lam1 hung at his -elt* also a large*

strong knife in a leather sheath

Harry advanced to the middle of the -eam* around /hich the cord/as 1assed Then his friends -egan to let him do/n* and he slo/ly

sank into the 1it s the ro1e caused him to s/ing gently round

and round* the light of his lam1 fell in turns on all 1oints

of the side /alls* so that he /as a-le to e7amine them carefully

These /alls consisted of 1it coal* and so smooth that it /ould

-e im1ossi-le to ascend them

Harry calculated that he /as going do/n at the rate of a-out

a foot 1er second* so that he had time to look a-out him*



and -e ready for any event

$uring t/o minutes00that is to say* to the de1th of a-out 4G, feet*

the descent continued /ithout any incident

#o lateral gallery o1ened from the side /alls of the 1it*

/hich /as gradually narro/ing into the sha1e of a funnel

But Harry -egan to feel a fresher air rising from -eneath*

/hence he concluded that the -ottom of the 1it communicated /ith a

gallery

of some descri1tion in the lo/est 1art of the mine

The cord continued to un/ind $arkness and silence /ere com1lete

If any living -eing /hatever had sought refuge in the dee1

and mysterious a-yss* he had either left it* or* if there*

-y no movement did he in the slightest /ay -etray his 1resence

Harry* -ecoming more sus1icious the lo/er he got* no/ dre/ his

knife and held it in his right hand t a de1th of 45, feet*

his feet touched the lo/er 1oint and the cord slackened andun/ound no further

Harry -reathed more freely for a moment One of the fears he

entertained

had -een that* during his descent* the cord might -e cut a-ove him*

-ut he had seen no 1ro;ection from the /alls -ehind /hich anyone could

have -een concealed

The -ottom of the a-yss /as 3uite dry Harry* taking the lam1

from his -elt* /alked round the 1lace* and 1erceived he had -een

right in his con;ectures

n e7tremely narro/ 1assage led aside out of the 1it

He had to stoo1 to look into it* and only -y cree1ing could it

-e follo/ed9 -ut as he /anted to see in /hich direction it led*

and /hether another a-yss o1ened from it* he lay do/n on the ground

and -egan to enter it on hands and knees

n o-stacle s1eedily arrested his 1rogress He fancied he could

1erceive -y touching it* that a human -ody lay across the 1assage

sudden thrill of horror and sur1rise made him hastily dra/ -ack*

-ut he again advanced and felt more carefully

His senses had not deceived him9 a -ody did indeed lie there9

and he soon ascertained that* although icy cold at

the e7tremities* there /as some vital heat remaining

In less time than it takes to tell it* Harry had dra/n the -odyfrom the recess to the -ottom of the shaft* and* sei@ing his lam1*

he cast its lights on /hat he had found* e7claiming immediately*

2:hy* it is a child=2

The child still -reathed* -ut so very fee-ly that Harry e71ected

it to cease every instant #ot a moment /as to -e lost9

he must carry this 1oor little creature out of the 1it*

and take it home to his mother as 3uickly as he could He



eagerly fastened the cord round his /aist* stuck on his lam1*

clas1ed the child to his -reast /ith his left arm* and* kee1ing his

right hand free to hold the knife* he gave the signal agreed on*

to have the ro1e 1ulled u1

It tightened at once9 he -egan the ascent Harry looked around him

/ith redou-led care* for more than his o/n life /as no/ in danger

or a fe/ minutes all /ent /ell* no accident seemed to threaten him*

/hen suddenly he heard the sound of a great rush of air from -eneath9

and* looking do/n* he could dimly 1erceive through the gloom a -road

mass arising until it 1assed him* striking him as it /ent -y

It /as an enormous -ird00of /hat sort he could not see9 it fle/

u1/ards on mighty /ings* then 1aused* hovered* and dashed fiercely

do/n u1on Harry* /ho could only /ield his knife in one hand

He defended himself and the child as /ell as he could*

-ut the ferocious -ird seemed to aim all its -lo/s at him alone

fraid of cutting the cord* he could not strike it as he /ished*

and the struggle /as 1rolonged* /hile Harry shouted /ith all his

might in ho1es of making his comrades hear

He soon kne/ they did* for they 1ulled the ro1e u1 faster9

a distance of a-out eighty feet remained to -e got over

The -ird ceased its direct attack* -ut increased the horror

and danger of his situation -y rushing at the cord* clinging to it

;ust out of his reach* and endeavoring* -y 1ecking furiously*

to cut it

Harry felt overcome /ith terri-le dread One strand of the ro1e gave

/ay*

and it made them sink a little

shriek of des1air esca1ed his li1s

second strand /as divided* and the dou-le -urden no/ hung sus1ended

-y only half the cord

Harry dro11ed his knife* and -y a su1erhuman effort succeeded*

at the moment the ro1e /as giving /ay* in catching hold of it

/ith his right hand a-ove the cut made -y the -eak of the -ird

But* 1o/erfully as he held it in his iron gras1* he could feel

it gradually sli11ing through his fingers

He might have caught it* and held on /ith -oth hands -y

sacrificing the life of the child he su11orted in his left arm

The idea crossed him* -ut /as -anished in an instant*

although he -elieved himself 3uite una-le to hold out until

dra/n to the surface or a second he closed his eyes*

-elieving they /ere a-out to 1lunge -ack into the a-yss

He looked u1 once more9 the huge -ird had disa11eared9 his hand

/as at the very e7tremity of the -roken ro1e00/hen* ;ust as

his convulsive gras1 /as failing* he /as sei@ed -y the men*

and /ith the child /as 1laced on the level ground



The fearful strain of an7iety removed* a reaction took 1lace*

and Harry fell fainting into the arms of his friends

CH!T"R DII #"&& $O!T"$

COU!&" of hours later* Harry still unconscious* and the child

in a very fee-le state* /ere -rought to the cottage -y .ack Ryan

and his com1anions The old overman listened to the account

of their adventures* /hile 'adge attended /ith the utmost care

to the /ants of her son* and of the 1oor creature /hom he had

rescued from the 1it

Harry imagined her a mere child* -ut she /as a maiden of the age

of fifteen or si7teen years

She ga@ed at them /ith vague and /ondering eyes9 and the thin face*

dra/n -y suffering* the 1allid com1le7ion* /hich light

could never have tinged* and the fragile* slender figure*

gave her an a11earance at once singular and attractive.ack Ryan declared that she seemed to him to -e an uncommonly

interesting kind of ghost

It must have -een due to the strange and 1eculiar

circumstances under /hich her life hitherto had -een led*

that she scarcely seemed to -elong to the human race

Her countenance /as of a very uncommon cast* and her eyes*

hardly a-le to -ear the lam10light in the cottage* glanced around

in a confused and 1u@@led /ay* as if all /ere ne/ to them

s this singular -eing reclined on 'adge6s -ed and a/oke to

consciousness*

as from a long slee1* the old Scotch/oman -egan to 3uestion her a

little

2:hat do they call you* my dear?2 said she

2#ell*2 re1lied the girl

2$o you feel anything the matter /ith you* #ell?2

2I am hungry I have eaten nothing since00since002

#ell uttered these fe/ /ords like one unused to s1eak much They /ere

in the >aelic language* /hich /as often s1oken -y Simon and his family

'adge immediately -rought her some food9 she /as evidently famishedIt /as im1ossi-le to say ho/ long she might have -een in that 1it

2Ho/ many days had you -een do/n there* dearie?2 in3uired 'adge

#ell made no ans/er9 she seemed not to understand the 3uestion

2Ho/ many days* do you think?2

2$ays?2 re1eated #ell* as though the /ord had no meaning for her*



and she shook her head to signify entire /ant of com1rehension

'adge took her hand* and stroked it caressingly 2Ho/ old are you*

my lassie?2 she asked* smiling kindly at her

#ell shook her head again

2%es* yes*2 continued 'adge* 2ho/ many years old?2

2%ears?2 re1lied #ell She seemed to understand that /ord

no -etter than days= Simon* Harry* .ack* and the rest*

looked on /ith an air of mingled com1assion* /onder* and sym1athy

The state of this 1oor thing* clothed in a misera-le garment

of coarse /oolen stuff* seemed to im1ress them 1ainfully

Harry* more than all the rest* seemed attracted -y the very 1eculiarity

of this 1oor stranger He dre/ near* took #ell6s hand from his mother*

and looked directly at her* /hile something like a smile curved her li1

2#ell*2 he said* 2#ell* a/ay do/n there00in the mine00/ere you all

alone?2

2lone= alone=2 cried the girl* raising herself hastily

Her features e71ressed terror9 her eyes* /hich had a11eared

to soften as Harry looked at her* -ecame 3uite /ild again

2lone=2 re1eated she* 2alone=200and she fell -ack on the -ed*

as though de1rived of all strength

2The 1oor -airn is too /eak to s1eak to us*2 said 'adge*

/hen she had ad;usted the 1illo/s 2fter a good rest*

and a little more food* she /ill -e stronger Come a/ay*

Simon and Harry* and all the rest of you* and let her go to slee12

So #ell /as left alone* and in a very fe/ minutes sle1t 1rofoundly

This event caused a great sensation* not only in the coal

mines* -ut in Stirlingshire* and ultimately throughout the kingdom

The strangeness of the story /as e7aggerated9 the affair could not have

made more commotion had they found the girl enclosed in the solid rock*

like one of those antediluvian creatures /ho have occasionally

-een released -y a stroke of the 1icka7 from their stony 1rison

#ell -ecame a fashiona-le /onder /ithout kno/ing it

Su1erstitious folks made her story a ne/ su-;ect for legendary marvels*

and /ere inclined to think* as .ack Ryan told Harry* that #ell

/as the s1irit of the mines

2Be it so* .ack*2 said the young man9 2-ut at any rate she

is the good s1irit It can have -een none -ut she /ho

-rought us -read and /ater /hen /e /ere shut u1 do/n there9and as to the -ad s1irit* /ho must still -e in the mine*

/e6ll catch him some day2

Of course .ames Starr had -een at once informed of all this* and came*

as soon as the young girl had sufficiently recovered her strength*

to see her* and endeavor to 3uestion her carefully

She a11eared ignorant of nearly everything relating to life* and*

although evidently intelligent* /as /anting in many elementary ideas*



such as time* for instance She had never -een used to its division*

and the /ords signifying hours* days* months* and years /ere

unkno/n to her

Her eyes* accustomed to the night* /ere 1ained -y the glare of

the electric discs9 -ut in the dark her sight /as /onderfully keen*

the 1u1il dilated in a remarka-le manner* and she could

see /here to others there a11eared 1rofound o-scurity

It /as certain that her -rain had never received any im1ression

of the outer /orld* that her eyes had never looked -eyond the mine*

and that these som-er de1ths had -een all the /orld to her

The 1oor girl 1ro-a-ly kne/ not that there /ere a sun and stars*

to/ns and counties* a mighty universe com1osed of myriads of /orlds

But until she com1rehended the significance of /ords at 1resent

conveying no 1recise meaning to her* it /as im1ossi-le to ascertain

/hat she kne/

s to /hether or not #ell had lived alone in the recesses

of #e/ -erfoyle* .ames Starr /as o-liged to remain uncertain9

indeed* any allusion to the su-;ect e7cited evident alarm inthe mind of this strange girl "ither #ell could not or /ould

not re1ly to 3uestions* -ut that some secret

e7isted in connection /ith the 1lace* /hich she could

have e71lained* /as manifest

2Should you like to stay /ith us? Should you like to go -ack

to /here /e found you?2 asked .ames Starr

2Oh* yes=2 e7claimed the maiden* in ans/er to his first 3uestion9

-ut a cry of terror /as all she seemed a-le to say to the second

.ames Starr* as /ell as Simon and Harry ord* could not hel1 feeling

a certain amount of uneasiness /ith regard to this 1ersistent silence

They found it im1ossi-le to forget all that had a11eared so ine71lica-le

at the time they made the discovery of the coal mine9 and although

that /as three years ago* and nothing ne/ had ha11ened* they al/ays

e71ected some fresh attack on the 1art of the invisi-le enemy

They resolved to e71lore the mysterious /ell* and did so* /ell armed

and in considera-le num-ers But nothing sus1icious /as to -e seen9

the shaft communicated /ith lo/er stages of the cry1t* hollo/ed out

in the car-oniferous -ed

'any a time did .ames Starr* Simon* and Harry talk over these things

If one or more malevolent -eings /ere concealed in the coal01it*

and there concocted mischief* #ell surely could have /arnedthem of it* yet she said nothing The slightest allusion

to her 1ast life -rought on such fits of violent emotion*

that it /as ;udged -est to avoid the su-;ect for the 1resent

Her secret /ould certainly esca1e her -y0and0-y

By the time #ell had -een a fortnight in the cottage* she had -ecome

a most intelligent and @ealous assistant to old 'adge It /as clear

that she instinctively felt she should remain in the d/elling /here she



had -een so charita-ly received* and 1erha1s never dreamt of 3uitting

it

This family /as all in all to her* and to the good folks themselves

#ell had seemed an ado1ted child from the moment /hen she first came

-eneath their roof #ell /as in truth a charming creature9 her ne/ mode

of e7istence added to her -eauty* for these /ere no dou-t the first

ha11y days of her life* and her heart /as full of gratitude to/ards

those to /hom she o/ed them 'adge felt to/ards her as a mother /ould9

the old /oman doted u1on her9 in short* she /as -eloved -y every-ody

.ack Ryan only regretted one thing* /hich /as that he had not saved

her himself riend

.ack often came to the cottage He sang* and #ell* /ho had never

heard singing -efore* admired it greatly9 -ut anyone might see

that she 1referred to .ack6s songs the graver conversation of Harry*

from /hom -y degrees she learnt truths concerning the outer /orld*

of /hich hitherto she had kno/n nothing

It must -e said that* since #ell had a11eared in her o/n 1erson*

.ack Ryan had -een o-liged to admit that his -elief in ho-go-lins

/as in a measure /eakened cou1le of months later his credulitye71erienced a further shock -out that time Harry une71ectedly made

a discovery /hich* in 1art at least* accounted for the a11arition

of the fire0maidens among the ruins of $undonald Castle at Irvine

$uring several days he had -een engaged in e71loring the remote

galleries

of the 1rodigious e7cavation to/ards the south t last he scram-led

/ith

difficulty u1 a narro/ 1assage /hich -ranched off through the u11er

rock

To his great astonishment* he suddenly found himself in the o1en air

The 1assage* after ascending o-li3uely to the surface of the ground*

led out directly among the ruins of $undonald Castle

There /as* therefore* a communication -et/een #e/ -erfoyle and the

hills

cro/ned -y this ancient castle The u11er entrance to this gallery*

-eing com1letely concealed -y stones and -rush/ood* /as invisi-le

from /ithout9 at the time of their search* therefore* the magistrates

had -een a-le to discover nothing

fe/ days after/ards* .ames Starr* guided -y Harry* came himself to

ins1ect this curious natural o1ening into the coal mine 2:ell*2 said

he*

2here is enough to convince the most su1erstitious among us

are/ell to all their -ro/nies* go-lins* and fire0maidens no/=2

2I hardly think* 'r Starr* /e ought to congratulate ourselves*2

re1lied Harry 2:hatever it is /e have instead of these things*

it can6t -e -etter* and may -e /orse than they are2

2That6s true* Harry*2 said the engineer9 2-ut /hat6s to -e done?

It is 1lain that* /hatever the -eings are /ho hide in the mine*

they reach the surface of the earth -y this 1assage

#o dou-t it /as the light of torches /aved -y them during

that dark and stormy night /hich attracted the 'OT& to/ards



the rocky coast* and like the /reckers

of former days* they /ould have 1lundered the unfortunate vessel* had it

not -een for .ack Ryan and his friends nyho/* so far it is evident*

and here is the mouth of the den s to its occu1ants* the 3uestion

is00

re they here still?2

2I say yes9 -ecause #ell trem-les /hen /e mention them00

yes* -ecause #ell /ill not* or dare not* s1eak a-out them*2

ans/ered Harry in a tone of decision

Harry /as surely in the right Had these mysterious deni@ens

of the 1it a-andoned it* or ceased to visit the s1ot* /hat reason

could the girl have had for kee1ing silence?

.ames Starr could not rest till he had 1enetrated this mystery

He foresa/ that the /hole future of the ne/ e7cavations must de1end

u1on it Rene/ed and strict 1recautions /ere therefore taken

The authorities /ere informed of the discovery of the entrance

:atchers /ere 1laced among the ruins of the castleHarry himself lay hid for several nights in the thickets

of -rush/ood /hich clothed the hill0side

#othing /as discovered00no human -eing emerged from the o1ening

So most 1eo1le came to the conclusion that the villains had

-een finally dislodged from the mine* and that* as to #ell*

they must su11ose her to -e dead at the -ottom of the shaft

/here they had left her

:hile it remained un/orked* the mine had -een a safe enough

1lace of refuge* secure from all search or 1ursuit But no/*

circumstances -eing altered* it -ecame difficult to conceal this

lurking01lace* and it might reasona-ly -e ho1ed they /ere gone*

and that nothing for the future /as to -e dreaded from them

.ames Starr* ho/ever* could not feel sure a-out it9

neither could Harry -e satisfied on the su-;ect* often re1eating*

2#ell has clearly -een mi7ed u1 /ith all this secret -usiness

If she had nothing more to fear* /hy should she kee1 silence?

It cannot -e dou-ted that she is ha11y /ith us She likes us all00

she adores my mother Her a-solute silence as to her former life*

/hen -y s1eaking out she might -enefit us* 1roves to me that some

a/ful secret* /hich she dares not reveal* /eighs on her mind

It may also -e that she -elieves it -etter for us* as /ell as for

herself*

that she should remain mute in a /ay other/ise so unaccounta-le2

In conse3uence of these o1inions* it /as agreed -y common consent

to avoid all allusion to the maiden6s former mode of life

One day* ho/ever* Harry /as led to make kno/n to #ell /hat

.ames Starr* his father* mother* and himself -elieved they o/ed

to her interference

It /as a fete0day The miners made holiday on the surface of

the county of Stirling as /ell as in its su-terraneous domains



!arties of holiday0makers /ere moving a-out in all directions

Songs resounded in many 1laces -eneath the sonorous vaults

of #e/ -erfoyle Harry and #ell left the cottage* and slo/ly

/alked along the left -ank of &och 'alcolm

Then the electric -rilliance darted less vividly* and the rays /ere

interru1ted /ith fantastic effect -y the shar1 angles of the 1ictures3ue

rocks /hich su11orted the dome This im1erfect light suited #ell*

to /hose eyes a glare /as very un1leasant

2#ell*2 said Harry* 2your eyes are not fit for daylight yet*

and could not -ear the -rightness of the sun2

2Indeed they could not*2 re1lied the girl9 2if the sun is such as you

descri-e it to me* Harry2

2I cannot -y any /ords* #ell* give you an idea either of his s1lendor

or of the -eauty of that universe /hich your eyes have never -eheld

But tell me* is it really 1ossi-le that* since the day /hen you

/ere -orn in the de1ths of the coal mine* you never once have -een

u1 to the surface of the earth?2

2#ever once* Harry*2 said she9 2I do not -elieve that*

even as an infant* my father or mother ever carried me thither

I am sure I should have retained some im1ression of the o1en

air if they had2

2I -elieve you /ould*2 ans/ered Harry 2&ong ago* #ell* many children

used to live altogether in the mine9 communication /as then difficult*

and I have met /ith more than one young 1erson* 3uite as ignorant as you

are of things a-ove0ground But no/ the rail/ay through our great

tunnel takes us in a fe/ minutes to the u11er regions of our country

I long* #ell* to hear you say* 6Come* Harry* my eyes can -ear daylight*

and I /ant to see the sun= I /ant to look u1on the /orks

of the lmighty62

2I shall soon say so* Harry* I ho1e*2 re1lied the girl9

2I shall soon go /ith you to the /orld a-ove9 and yet002

2:hat are you going to say* #ell?2 hastily cried Harry9 2can you

1ossi-ly regret having 3uitted that gloomy a-yss in /hich you

s1ent your early years* and /hence /e dre/ you half dead?2

2#o* Harry*2 ans/ered #ell9 2I /as only thinking that darkness is

-eautiful as /ell as light If you -ut kne/ /hat eyes accustomed

to its de1th can see= Shades flit -y* /hich one longs to follo/9

circles mingle and intert/ine* and one could ga@e on them forever9-lack hollo/s* full of indefinite gleams of radiance* lie dee1

at the -ottom of the mine nd then the voice0like sounds=

h* Harry= one must have lived do/n there to understand /hat I feel*

/hat I can never e71ress2

2nd /ere you not afraid* #ell* all alone there?2

2It /as ;ust /hen I /as alone that I /as not afraid2



#ell6s voice altered slightly as she said these /ords9 ho/ever* Harry

thought he might 1ress the su-;ect a little further* so he said*

2But one might -e easily lost in these great galleries* #ell :ere you

not afraid of losing your /ay?2

2Oh* no* Harry9 for a long time I had kno/n every turn of the ne/ mine2

2$id you never leave it?2

2%es* no/ and then*2 ans/ered the girl /ith a little hesitation9

2sometimes I have -een as far as the old mine of -erfoyle2

2So you kne/ our old cottage?2

2The cottage= oh* yes9 -ut the 1eo1le /ho lived there I only sa/

at a great distance2

2They /ere my father and mother*2 said Harry9 2and I /as there too9

/e have al/ays lived there00/e never /ould give u1 the old d/elling2

2!erha1s it /ould have -een -etter for you if you had*2murmured the maiden

2:hy so* #ell? :as it not ;ust -ecause /e /ere o-stinately resolved

to remain that /e ended -y discovering the ne/ vein of coal?

nd did not that discovery lead to the ha11y result of 1roviding

/ork for a large 1o1ulation* and restoring them to ease and comfort?

and did it not ena-le us to find you* #ell* to save your life*

and give you the love of all our hearts?2

2h* yes* for me indeed it is /ell* /hatever may ha11en*2

re1lied #ell earnestly9 2for others00/ho can tell?2

2:hat do you mean?2

2Oh* nothing00nothing But it used to -e very dangerous at that time

to go into the ne/ cutting00yes* very dangerous indeed* Harry= Once

some

rash 1eo1le made their /ay into these chasms They got a long* long

/ay9

they /ere lost=2

2They /ere lost?2 said Harry* looking at her

2%es* lost=2 re1eated #ell in a trem-ling voice

2They could not find their /ay out2

2nd there*2 cried Harry* 2they /ere im1risoned during eight long days=They /ere at the 1oint of death* #ell9 and* -ut for a kind

and charita-le -eing00an angel 1erha1s00sent -y >od to hel1 them*

/ho secretly -rought them a little food9 -ut for a mysterious guide*

/ho after/ards led to them their deliverers* they never /ould

have esca1ed from that living tom-=2

2nd ho/ do you kno/ a-out that?2 demanded the girl

2Because those men /ere .ames Starr* my father* and myself* #ell=2



#ell looked u1 hastily* sei@ed the young man6s hand* and ga@ed so

fi7edly into his eyes that his feelings /ere stirred to their de1ths

2%ou /ere there?2 at last she uttered

2I /as indeed*2 said Harry* after a 1ause* 2and she to /hom /e

o/e our lives can have -een none other than yourself* #ell=2

#ell hid her face in her hands /ithout s1eaking

Harry had never seen her so much affected

2Those /ho saved your life* #ell*2 added he in a voice tremulous

/ith emotion* 2already o/ed theirs to you9 do you think they

/ill ever forget it?2

CH!T"R DIII O# TH" R"O&I#> &$$"R

TH" mining o1erations at #e/ -erfoyle continued to -e carried on

very successfully s a matter of course* the engineer* .ames Starr*as /ell as Simon ord* the discoverers of this rich car-oniferous

region*

shared largely in the 1rofits

In time Harry -ecame a 1artner But he never thought

of 3uitting the cottage He took his father6s 1lace as overman*

and diligently su1erintended the /orks of this colony of miners

.ack Ryan /as 1roud and delighted at the good fortune /hich had

-efallen his comrade He himself /as getting on very /ell also

They fre3uently met* either at the cottage or at the /orks in the 1it

.ack did not fail to remark the sentiments entertained -y Harry

to/ards #ell Harry /ould not confess to them9 -ut .ack only

laughed at him /hen he shook his head and tried to deny any s1ecial

interest in her

It must -e noted that .ack Ryan had the greatest 1ossi-le /ish to -e

of the 1arty /hen #ell should 1ay her first visit to the u11er surface

of the county of Stirling He /ished to see her /onder and admiration

on first -eholding the yet unkno/n face of #ature He very much ho1ed

that Harry /ould take him /ith them /hen the e7cursion /as made

s yet* ho/ever* the latter had made no 1ro1osal of the kind to him*

/hich caused him to feel a little uneasy as to his intentions

One morning .ack Ryan /as descending through a shaft /hich led from

the surface to the lo/er regions of the 1it He did so -y meansof one of those ladders /hich* continually revolving -y machinery*

ena-led 1ersons to ascend and descend /ithout fatigue

This a11aratus had lo/ered him a-out a hundred and fifty feet*

/hen at a narro/ landing01lace he 1erceived Harry* /ho /as coming

u1 to his la-ors for the day

2:ell met* my friend=2 cried .ack* recogni@ing his comrade -y the light

of the electric lam1s



2h* .ack=2 re1lied Harry* 2I am glad to see you

I6ve got something to 1ro1ose2

2I can listen to nothing till you tell me ho/ #ell is*2

interru1ted .ack Ryan

2#ell is all right* .ack00so much so* in fact* that I ho1e in a month

or si7 /eeks002

2To marry her* Harry?2

2.ack* you don6t kno/ /hat you are talking a-out=2

2h* that6s very likely9 -ut I kno/ 3uite /ell /hat I shall do2

2:hat /ill you do?2

2'arry her myself* if you don6t9 so look shar1*2

laughed .ack 2By Saint 'ungo= I think an immense deal of

-onny #ell= fine young creature like that* /ho has -een-rought u1 in the mine* is ;ust the very /ife for a miner

She is an or1han00so am I9 and if you don6t care much for her*

and if she /ill have me002

Harry looked gravely at .ack* and let him talk on /ithout trying

to sto1 him 2$on6t you -egin to feel ;ealous* Harry?2 asked .ack

in a more serious tone

2#ot at all*2 ans/ered Harry 3uietly

2But if you don6t marry #ell yourself* you surely can6t e71ect

her to remain a s1inster?2

2I e71ect nothing*2 said Harry

movement of the ladder machinery no/ gave the t/o friends

the o11ortunity00one to go u1* the other do/n the shaft

Ho/ever* they remained /here they /ere

2Harry*2 3uoth .ack* 2do you think I s1oke in earnest ;ust

no/ a-out #ell?2

2#o* that I don6t* .ack2

2:ell* -ut no/ I /ill=2

2%ou? s1eak in earnest?2

2'y good fello/* I can tell you I am 3uite ca1a-le of giving a friend

a -it of advice2

2&et6s hear* then* .ack=2

2:ell* look here= %ou love #ell as heartily as she deserves

Old Simon* your father* and old 'adge* your mother* -oth love her

as if she /ere their daughter :hy don6t you make her so in reality?



:hy don6t you marry her?2

2Come* .ack*2 said Harry* 2you are running on as if you kne/ ho/ #ell

felt on the su-;ect2

2"very-ody kno/s that*2 re1lied .ack* 2and therefore it is

im1ossi-le to make you ;ealous of any of us But here goes

the ladder again00I6m off=2

2Sto1 a minute* .ack=2 cried Harry* detaining his com1anion*

/ho /as ste11ing onto the moving staircase

2I say= you seem to mean me to take u1 my 3uarters here altogether=2

2$o -e serious and listen* .ack= I /ant to s1eak in earnest myself

no/2

2:ell* I6ll listen till the ladder moves again* not a minute longer2

2.ack*2 resumed Harry* 2I need not 1retend that I do not love #ell9 I

/isha-ove all things to make her my /ife2

2That6s all right=2

2But for the 1resent I have scru1les of conscience as to asking

her to make me a 1romise /hich /ould -e irrevoca-le2

2:hat can you mean* Harry?2

2I mean ;ust this00that* it -eing certain #ell has never

-een outside this coal mine in the very de1ths of /hich she

/as -orn* it stands to reason that she kno/s nothing*

and can com1rehend nothing of /hat e7ists -eyond it

Her eyes00yes* and 1erha1s also her heart00have everything

yet to learn :ho can tell /hat her thoughts /ill -e*

/hen 1erfectly ne/ im1ressions shall -e made u1on her mind?

s yet she kno/s nothing of the /orld* and to me it /ould

seem like deceiving her* if I led her to decide in ignorance*

u1on choosing to remain all her life in the coal mine

$o you understand me* .ack?2

2Hem=00yes001retty /ell :hat I understand -est is that you

are going to make me miss another turn of the ladder2

2.ack*2 re1lied Harry gravely* 2if this machinery /ere to sto1

altogether*if this landing01lace /ere to fall -eneath our feet* you must and shall

hear /hat I have to say2

2:ell done* Harry= that6s ho/ I like to -e s1oken to=

&et6s settle* then* that* -efore you marry #ell* she shall go

to school in uld Reekie2

2#o indeed* .ack9 I am 1erfectly a-le myself to educate the 1erson

/ho is to -e my /ife2



2Sure that /ill -e a great deal -etter* Harry=2

2But* first of all*2 resumed Harry* 2I /ish that #ell should

gain a real kno/ledge of the u11er /orld To illustrate

my meaning* .ack* su11ose you /ere in love /ith a -lind girl*

and someone said to you* 6In a month6s time her sight /ill

-e restored*6 /ould you not /ait till after she /as cured*

to marry her?2

2aith* to -e sure I /ould=2 e7claimed .ack

2:ell* .ack* #ell is at 1resent -lind9 and -efore she marries me*

I /ish her to see /hat I am* and /hat the life really is to /hich

she /ould -ind herself In short* she must have daylight let

in u1on the su-;ect=2

2:ell said* Harry= ery /ell said indeed=2 cried .ack 2#o/ I

see /hat you are driving at nd /hen may /e e71ect the o1eration

to come off?2

2In a month* .ack*2 re1lied Harry 2#ell is getting used

to the light of our reflectors That is some 1re1aration

In a month she /ill* I ho1e* have seen the earth and its /onders00

the sky and its s1lendors She /ill 1erceive that the limits

of the universe are -oundless2

But /hile Harry /as thus giving the rein to his imagination* .ack Ryan*

3uitting the 1latform* had lea1ed on the ste1 of the moving machinery

2Hullo* .ack= :here are you?2

2ar -eneath you*2 laughed the merry fello/ 2:hile you soar

to the heights* I 1lunge into the de1ths2

2are ye /ell .ack=2 returned Harry* himself laying hold

of the rising ladder9 2mind you say nothing a-out /hat I have

-een telling you2

2#ot a /ord*2 shouted .ack* 2-ut I make one condition2

2:hat is that?2

2That I may -e one of the 1arty /hen #ell6s first e7cursion

to the face of the earth comes off=2

2So you shall* .ack* I 1romise you=2

fresh thro- of the machinery 1laced a yet more considera-le distance

-et/een the friends Their voices sounded faintly to each other

Harry* ho/ever* could still hear .ack shoutingA

2I say= do you kno/ /hat #ell /ill like -etter than either sun*

moon* or stars* after she6s seen the /hole of them?2

2#o* .ack=2



2:hy* you yourself* old fello/= still you= al/ays you=2

nd .ack6s voice died a/ay in a 1rolonged 2Hurrah=2

Harry* after this* a11lied himself diligently* during all

his s1are time* to the /ork of #ell6s education

He taught her to read and to /rite* and such ra1id 1rogress did

she make* it might have -een said that she learnt -y instinct

#ever did keen intelligence more 3uickly trium1h over utter ignorance

It /as the /onder of all -eholders

Simon and 'adge -ecame every day more and more attached to

their ado1ted child* /hose former history continued to 1u@@le

them a good deal They 1lainly sa/ the nature of Harry6s

feelings to/ards her* and /ere far from dis1leased thereat

They recollected that Simon had said to the engineer on his first

visit to the old cottage* 2Ho/ can our son ever think of marrying?

:here could a /ife

1ossi-ly -e found suita-le for a lad /hose /hole life must -e 1assed

in the de1ths of a coal mine?2

:ell= no/ it seemed as if the most desira-le com1anion in the /orld

had -een led to him -y !rovidence :as not this like a -lessing direct

from Heaven? So the old man made u1 his mind that* if the /edding did

take 1lace* the miners of #e/ -erfoyle should have a merry0making

at Coal To/n* /hich they /ould never during their lives forget

Simon ord little kne/ /hat he /as saying=

It must -e remarked that another 1erson /ished for this union of Harry

and #ell as much as Simon did00and that /as .ames Starr* the engineer

Of course he /as really interested in the ha11iness of the t/o

young 1eo1le But another motive* connected /ith /ider interests*

influenced him to desire it

It has -een said that .ames Starr continued to entertain a certain

amount

of a11rehension* although for the 1resent nothing a11eared to ;ustify

it

%et that /hich had -een might again -e This mystery a-out the

ne/ cutting00#ell /as evidently the only 1erson ac3uainted /ith it

#o/* if fresh dangers /ere in store for the miners of -erfoyle*

ho/ /ere they 1ossi-ly to -e guarded against* /ithout so much as kno/ing

the cause of them?

2#ell has 1ersisted in kee1ing silence*2 said .ames Starr very often*

2-ut /hat she has concealed from others* she /ill not long hide from

her hus-and ny danger /ould -e danger to Harry as /ell as to the restof us Therefore* a marriage /hich -rings ha11iness to the lovers*

and safety to their friends* /ill -e a good marriage* if ever there

is such a thing here -elo/2

Thus* not illogically* reasoned .ames Starr He communicated

his ideas to old Simon* /ho decidedly a11reciated them

#othing* then* a11eared to stand in the /ay of the match

:hat* in fact* /as there to 1revent it? They loved each other9

the 1arents desired nothing -etter for their son



Harry6s comrades envied his good fortune* -ut freely ackno/ledged

that he deserved it The maiden de1ended on no one else*

and had -ut to give the consent of her o/n heart

:hy* then* if there /ere none to 1lace o-stacles in the /ay

of this union00/hy* as night came on* and* the la-ors of the day

-eing over* the electric lights in the mine /ere

e7tinguished* and all the inha-itants of Coal To/n at rest

/ithin their d/ellings00/hy did a mysterious form al/ays emerge

from the gloomier recesses of #e/ -erfoyle* and silently glide

through the darkness?

:hat instinct guided this 1hantom /ith ease through 1assages

so narro/ as to a11ear to -e im1ractica-le?

:hy should the strange -eing* /ith eyes flashing through

the dee1est darkness* come cautiously cree1ing along the shores

of &ake 'alcolm? :hy so directly make his /ay to/ards

Simon6s cottage* yet so carefully as hitherto to avoid notice?

:hy* -ending to/ards the /indo/s* did he strive to catch*-y listening* some fragment of the conversation /ithin

the closed shutters?

nd* on catching a fe/ /ords* /hy did he shake his fist /ith a menacing

gesture to/ards the calm a-ode* /hile from -et/een his set teeth issued

these /ords in muttered fury* 2She and he? #ever= never=2

CH!T"R DI SU#RIS"

'O#TH after this* on the evening of the G,th of ugust* Simon ord

and 'adge took leave* /ith all manner of good /ishes* of four tourists*

/ho /ere setting forth from the cottage

.ames Starr* Harry* and .ack Ryan /ere a-out to lead #ell6s

ste1s over yet untrodden 1aths* and to sho/ her the glories

of nature -y a light to /hich she /as as yet a stranger

The e7cursion /as to last for t/o days .ames Starr* as /ell as Harry*

considered that during these eight and forty hours s1ent a-ove ground*

the maiden /ould -e a-le to see everything of /hich she must

have remained ignorant in the gloomy 1it9 all the varied as1ects

of the glo-e* to/ns* 1lains* mountains* rivers* lakes* gulfs*

and seas /ould 1ass* 1anorama0like* -efore her eyes

In that 1art of Scotland lying -et/een "din-urgh and >lasgo/*

nature /ould seem to have collected and set forth s1ecimensof every one of these terrestrial -eauties s to the heavens*

they /ould -e s1read a-road as over the /hole earth* /ith their

changeful clouds* serene or veiled moon* their radiant sun*

and clustering stars The e71edition had -een 1lanned so as to

com-ine a vie/ of all these things

Simon and 'adge /ould have -een glad to go /ith #ell9

-ut they never left their cottage /illingly* and could not make

u1 their minds to 3uit their su-terranean home for a single day



.ames Starr /ent as an o-server and 1hiloso1her* curious to note*

from a 1sychological 1oint of vie/* the novel im1ressions made u1on

#ell9

1erha1s also /ith some ho1e of detecting a clue to the mysterious

events connected /ith her childhood Harry* /ith a little tre1idation*

asked himself /hether it /as not 1ossi-le that this ra1id initiation

into the things of the e7terior /orld /ould change the maiden he had

kno/n and loved hitherto into 3uite a different girl s for .ack Ryan*

he /as as ;oyous as a lark rising in the first -eams of the sun

He only trusted that his gayety /ould 1rove contagious* and enliven his

traveling com1anions* thus re/arding them for letting him ;oin them

#ell /as 1ensive and silent

.ames Starr had decided* very sensi-ly* to set off in the evening

It /ould -e very much -etter for the girl to 1ass gradually from

the darkness of night to the full light of day9 and that /ould

in this /ay -e managed* since -et/een midnight and noon she

/ould e71erience the successive 1hases of shade and sunshine*

to /hich her sight had to get accustomed

.ust as they left the cottage* #ell took Harry6s hand saying*

2Harry* is it really necessary for me to leave the mine at all*

even for these fe/ days?2

2%es* it is* #ell*2 re1lied the young man 2It is needful

for -oth of us2

2But* Harry*2 resumed #ell* 2ever since you found me* I have -een

as ha11y as I can 1ossi-ly -e %ou have -een teaching me

:hy is that not enough? :hat am I going u1 there for?2

Harry looked at her in silence #ell /as giving utterance to nearly

his o/n thoughts

2'y child*2 said .ames Starr* 2I can /ell understand the

hesitation you feel9 -ut it /ill -e good for you to go /ith us

Those /ho love you are taking you* and they /ill -ring you -ack again

fter/ards you /ill -e free* if you /ish it* to continue your life

in the coal mine* like old

Simon* and 'adge* and Harry But at least you ought to -e a-le to

com1are

/hat you give u1 /ith /hat you choose* then decide freely Come=2

2Come* dear #ell=2 cried Harry

2Harry* I am /illing to follo/ you*2 re1lied the maident nine o6clock the last train through the tunnel started

to convey #ell and her com1anions to the surface of the earth

T/enty minutes later they alighted on the 1latform /here the -ranch

line to #e/ -erfoyle ;oins the rail/ay from $um-arton to Stirling

The night /as already dark rom the hori@on to the @enith*

light va1ory clouds hurried through the u11er air* driven -y

a refreshing north/esterly -ree@e The day had -een lovely9

the night 1romised to -e so like/ise



On reaching Stirling* #ell and her friends* 3uitting the train*

left the station immediately .ust -efore them* -et/een high trees*

they could see a road /hich led to the -anks of the river orth

The first 1hysical im1ression on the girl /as the 1urity of the air

inhaled eagerly -y her lungs

2Breathe it freely* #ell*2 said .ames Starr9 2it is fragrant

/ith all the scents of the o1en country2

2:hat is all that smoke 1assing over our heads?2 in3uired #ell

2Those are clouds*2 ans/ered Harry* 2-lo/n along -y the /esterly /ind2

2h=2 said #ell* 2ho/ I should like to feel myself carried

along in that silent /hirl= nd /hat are those shining s1arks

/hich glance here and there -et/een rents in the clouds?2

2Those are the stars I have told you a-out* #ell So many suns they

are*so many centers of /orlds like our o/n* most likely2

The constellations -ecame more clearly visi-le as the /ind

cleared the clouds from the dee1 -lue of the firmament

#ell ga@ed u1on the myriad stars /hich s1arkled overhead

2But ho/ is it*2 she said at length* 2that if these are suns*

my eyes can endure their -rightness?2

2'y child*2 re1lied .ames Starr* 2they are indeed suns* -ut suns

at an enormous distance The nearest of these millions of stars*

/hose rays can reach us* is ega* that star in &yra /hich you

o-serve near the @enith* and that is

fifty thousand millions of leagues distant

Its -rightness* therefore* cannot affect your vision

But our o/n sun* /hich /ill rise to0morro/* is only distant

thirty0eight millions of leagues* and no human eye can ga@e fi7edly

u1on that* for it is -righter than the -la@e of any furnace

But come* #ell* come=2

They 1ursued their /ay* .ames Starr leading the maiden* Harry /alking

-y her side* /hile .ack Ryan roamed a-out like a young dog*

im1atient of the slo/ 1ace of his masters The road /as lonely

#ell ke1t looking at the great trees* /hose -ranches* /aving in

the /ind* made them seem to her like giants gesticulating /ildly

The sound of the -ree@e in the tree0to1s* the dee1 silence during

a lull* the distant line of the hori@on* /hich could -e discerned/hen the road 1assed over o1en levels00all these things filled

her /ith ne/ sensations* and left lasting im1ressions on her mind

fter some time she ceased to ask 3uestions* and her com1anions

res1ected her silence* not /ishing to influence -y any /ords

of theirs the girl6s highly sensitive imagination* -ut 1referring

to allo/ ideas to arise s1ontaneously in her soul

t a-out half 1ast eleven o6clock* they gained the -anks of the



river orth There a -oat* chartered -y .ames Starr* a/aited them

In a fe/ hours it /ould convey them all to >ranton #ell looked

at the clear /ater /hich flo/ed u1 to her feet* as the /aves

-roke gently on the -each* reflecting the starlight

2Is this a lake?2 said she

2#o*2 re1lied Harry* 2it is a great river flo/ing to/ards

the sea* and soon o1ening so /idely as to resem-le a gulf

Taste a little of the /ater in the hollo/ of your hand* #ell*

and you /ill 1erceive that it is not s/eet like the /aters

of &ake 'alcolm2

The maiden -ent to/ards the stream* and* raising a little /ater

to her li1s* 2This is 3uite salt*2 said she

2%es* the tide is full9 the sea /ater flo/s u1 the river as far

as this*2 ans/ered Harry

2Oh* Harry= Harry=2 e7claimed the maiden* 2/hat can that red

glo/ on the hori@on -e? Is it a forest on fire?2

2#o* it is the rising moon* #ell2

2To -e sure* that6s the moon*2 cried .ack Ryan* 2a fine

-ig silver 1late* /hich the s1irits of air hand round and round

the sky to collect the stars in* like money2

2:hy* .ack*2 said the engineer* laughing* 2I had no idea you

could strike out such -old com1arisons=2

2:ell* -ut* 'r Starr* it is a ;ust com1arison $on6t you see

the stars disa11ear as the moon 1asses on? so I su11ose they

dro1 into it2

2:hat you mean to say* .ack* is that the su1erior -rilliancy

of the moon ecli1ses that of stars of the si7th magnitude*

therefore they vanish as she a11roaches2

2Ho/ -eautiful all this is=2 re1eated #ell again and again*

/ith her /hole soul in her eyes 2But I thought the moon /as round?2

2So she is* /hen 6full*62 said .ames Starr9 2that means /hen she is ;ust

o11osite to the sun But to0night the moon is in the last 3uarter*

shorn of her ;ust 1ro1ortions* and friend .ack6s grand silver 1late

looks more like a -ar-er6s -asin2

2Oh* 'r Starr* /hat a -ase com1arison=2 he e7claimed* 2I /as ;ust goingto -egin a sonnet to the moon* -ut your -ar-er6s -asin has destroyed

all chance of an ins1iration2

>radually the moon ascended the heavens Before her light

the lingering clouds fled a/ay* /hile stars still s1arkled

in the /est* -eyond the influence of her radiance

#ell ga@ed in silence on the glorious s1ectacle

The soft silvery light /as 1leasant to her eyes* and her little

trem-ling hand e71ressed to Harry* /ho clas1ed it* ho/ dee1ly



she /as affected -y the scene

2&et us em-ark no/*2 said .ames Starr 2:e have to get to the to1

of rthur6s Seat -efore sunrise2

The -oat /as moored to a 1ost on the -ank -oatman a/aited them

#ell and her friends took their seats9 the sail /as s1read9

it 3uickly filled -efore the north/esterly -ree@e* and they s1ed

on their /ay

:hat a ne/ sensation /as this for the maiden= She had -een ro/ed on

the /aters of &ake 'alcolm9 -ut the oar* handled ever so lightly -y

Harry*

al/ays -etrayed effort on the 1art of the oarsman #o/* for the

first time* #ell felt herself -orne along /ith a gliding movement*

like that of a -alloon through the air The /ater /as smooth as a lake*

and #ell reclined in the stern of the -oat* en;oying its gentle rocking

Occasionally the effect of the

moonlight on the /aters /as as though the -oat sailed across

a glittering silver field &ittle /avelets ri11led along the -anksIt /as enchanting

t length #ell /as overcome /ith dro/siness* her eyelids droo1ed*

her head sank on Harry6s shoulder00she sle1t Harry* sorry that

she should miss any of the -eauties of this magnificent night*

/ould have aroused her

2&et her slee1=2 said the engineer 2She /ill -etter en;oy

the novelties of the day after a cou1le of hours6 rest2

t t/o o6clock in the morning the -oat reached >ranton 1ier

#ell a/oke 2Have I -een aslee1?2 in3uired she

2#o* my child*2 said .ames Starr 2%ou have -een dreaming

that you sle1t* that6s all2

The night continued clear The moon* riding in mid0heaven*

diffused her rays on all sides In the little 1ort of >ranton

lay t/o or three fishing -oats9 they rocked gently on the /aters

of the irth The /ind fell as the da/n a11roached

The atmos1here* clear of mists* 1romised one of those fine

autumn days so delicious on the sea coast

soft* trans1arent film of va1or lay along the hori@on9

the first sun-eam /ould dissi1ate it9 to the maiden it e7hi-ited

that as1ect of the sea /hich seems to -lend it /ith the sky

Her vie/ /as no/ enlarged* /ithout 1roducing the im1ressionof the -oundless infinity of ocean

Harry taking #ell6s hand* they follo/ed .ames Starr and .ack Ryan

as they traversed the deserted streets To #ell* this su-ur-

of the ca1ital a11eared only a collection of gloomy dark houses*

;ust like Coal To/n* only that the roof /as higher* and gleamed

/ith small lights

She ste11ed lightly for/ard* and easily ke1t 1ace /ith Harry 2re you



not tired* #ell?2 asked he* after half an hour6s /alking

2#o= my feet seem scarcely to touch the earth*2 returned she

2This sky a-ove us seems so high u1* I feel as if I could take

/ing and fly=2

2I say= kee1 hold of her=2 cried .ack Ryan 2Our little #ell is too

good to lose I feel ;ust as you descri-e though* myself* /hen I

have not left the 1it for a long time2

2It is /hen /e no longer e71erience the o11ressive effect of the vaulted

rocky roof a-ove Coal To/n*2 said

.ames Starr* 2that the s1acious firmament a11ears to us like a

1rofound a-yss into /hich /e have* as it /ere* a desire to 1lunge

Is that /hat you feel* #ell?2

2%es* 'r Starr* it is e7actly like that*2 said #ell 2It makes

me feel giddy2

2h= you /ill soon get over that* #ell*2 said Harry 2%ou /ill get usedto the outer /orld* and most likely forget all a-out our dark coal 1it2

2#o* Harry* never=2 said #ell* and she 1ut her hand over her eyes*

as though she /ould recall the remem-rance of everything she

had lately 3uitted

Bet/een the silent d/ellings of the city* the 1arty 1assed

along &eith :alk* and /ent round the Calton Hill* /here stood*

in the light of the gray da/n* the -uildings of the O-servatory

and #elson6s 'onument By Regent6s Bridge and the #orth Bridge they

at last reached the lo/er e7tremity of the Canongate The to/n

still lay /ra1t in slum-er

#ell 1ointed to a large -uilding in the center of an o1en s1ace*

asking* 2:hat great confused mass is that?2

2That confused mass* #ell* is the 1alace of the ancient kings

of Scotland9 that is Holyrood* /here many a sad scene has -een enacted=

The historian can here invoke many a royal shade9 from those of

the early Scottish kings to that of the unha11y 'ary Stuart*

and the rench king* Charles D :hen day -reaks* ho/ever* #ell*

this 1alace /ill not look so very gloomy Holyrood* /ith its four

em-attled to/ers* is not unlike some handsome country house

But let us 1ursue our /ay There* ;ust a-ove the ancient --ey

of Holyrood* are the su1er- cliffs called Salis-ury Crags

rthur6s Seat rises a-ove them* and that is /here /e are going

rom the summit of rthur6s Seat* #ell* your eyes shall -eholdthe sun a11ear a-ove the hori@on sea/ard2

They entered the 8ing6s !ark* then* gradually ascending they 1assed

across the ueen6s $rive* a s1lendid carriage/ay encircling the hill*

/hich /e o/e to a fe/ lines in one of Sir :alter Scott6s romances

rthur6s Seat is in truth only a hill* seven hundred and fifty

feet high* /hich stands alone amid surrounding heights

In less than half an hour* -y an easy /inding 1ath* .ames Starr



and his 1arty reached the crest of the

crouching lion* /hich* seen from the /est* rthur6s Seat so

much resem-les There* all four seated themselves9 and .ames Starr*

ever ready /ith 3uotations from the great Scottish novelist*

sim1ly said* 2&isten to /hat is /ritten -y Sir :alter Scott

in the eighth cha1ter of the Heart of 'id0&othian 6If I /ere

to choose a s1ot from /hich the rising or setting sun could -e seen

to the greatest 1ossi-le advantage* it /ould -e from this neigh-orhood6

#o/ /atch* #ell= the sun /ill soon a11ear* and for the first time

you /ill contem1late its s1lendor2

The maiden turned her eyes east/ard Harry* kee1ing close

-eside her* o-served her /ith an7ious interest

:ould the first -eams of day over1o/er her feelings?

ll remained 3uiet* even .ack Ryan faint streak of 1ale rose

tinted the light va1ors of the hori@on It /as the first ray

of light attacking the laggards of the night Beneath the hill

lay the silent city* massed confusedly in the t/ilight of da/n

Here and there lights t/inkled among the houses of the old to/n

:est/ard rose many hill0to1s* soon to -e illuminated -yti1s of fire

#o/ the distant hori@on of the sea -ecame more 1lainly visi-le

The scale of colors fell into the order of the solar

"very instant they increased in intensity* rose color -ecame red*

red -ecame fiery* daylight da/ned #ell no/ glanced to/ards

the city* of /hich the outlines -ecame more distinct

&ofty monuments* slender stee1les emerged from the gloom9

a kind of ashy light /as s1read a-road t length one solitary

ray struck on the maiden6s sight It /as that ray of green /hich*

morning or evening* is reflected u1/ards from the sea /hen

the hori@on is clear

n instant after/ards* #ell turned* and 1ointing to/ards a -right

1rominent 1oint in the #e/ To/n* 2ire=2 cried she

2#o* #ell* that is no fire*2 said Harry 2The sun has touched /ith gold

the to1 of Sir :alter Scott6s monument200and* indeed* the e7treme 1oint

of the monument -la@ed like the light of a 1haros

It /as day00the sun arose00his disc seemed to glitter

as though he indeed emerged from the /aters of the sea

11earing at first very large from the effects of refraction*

he contracted as he rose and assumed the 1erfectly circular form

Soon no eye could endure the da@@ling s1lendor9

it /as as though the mouth of a furnace /as o1ened through the sky

#ell closed her eyes* -ut her eyelids could not e7clude

the glare* and she 1ressed her fingers over them

Harry advised her to turn in the o11osite direction

2Oh* no*2 said she* 2my eyes must get used to look at /hat yours

can -ear to see=2

"ven through her hands #ell 1erceived a rosy light*

/hich -ecame more /hite as the sun rose a-ove the hori@on



s her sight -ecame accustomed to it* her eyelids /ere raised*

and at length her eyes drank in the light of day

The good child knelt do/n* e7claiming* 2Oh &ord >od= ho/

-eautiful is Thy creation=2 Then she rose and looked around

t her feet e7tended the 1anorama of "din-urgh00the clear*

distinct lines of streets in the #e/ To/n* and the irregular

mass of houses* /ith their confused net/ork of streets

and lanes* /hich constitutes uld Reekie* 1ro1erly so called

T/o heights commanded the entire city9 "din-urgh Castle*

cro/ning its huge -asaltic rock* and the Calton Hill*

-earing on its rounded summit* among other monuments* ruins -uilt

to re1resent those of the !arthenon at thens

ine road/ays led in all directions from the ca1ital

To the north* the coast of the no-le irth of orth /as indented

-y a dee1 -ay* in /hich could -e seen the sea1ort to/n of &eith*

-et/een /hich and this 'odern thens of the north ran a street*

straight as that leading to the !iraeus

Beyond the /ide irth could -e seen the soft outlines of the countyof ife* /hile -eneath the s1ectator stretched the yello/ sands

of !orto-ello and #e/haven

#ell could not s1eak Her li1s murmured a /ord or t/o indistinctly9

she trem-led* -ecame giddy* her strength failed her9

overcome -y the 1urity of the air and the su-limity of the scene*

she sank fainting into Harry6s arms* /ho* /atching her closely*

/as ready to su11ort her

The youthful maiden* hitherto entom-ed in the massive de1ths

of the earth* had no/ o-tained an idea of the universe00

of the /orks -oth of >od and of man She had looked u1on to/n

and country* and -eyond these* into the immensity of the sea*

the infinity of the heavens

CH!T"R D &OCH &O'O#$ #$ &OCH 8TRI#"

HRR% -ore #ell carefully do/n the stee1s of rthur6s Seat*

and* accom1anied -y .ames Starr and .ack Ryan* they reached

&am-ert6s Hotel There a good -reakfast restored their strength*

and they -egan to make further 1lans for an e7cursion to

the Highland lakes

#ell /as no/ refreshed* and a-le to look -oldly forth into the sunshine*

/hile her lungs /ith ease inhaled the free and healthful airHer eyes learned gladly to kno/ the harmonious varieties of color

as they rested on the green trees* the a@ure skies* and all the endless

shades of lovely flo/ers and 1lants

The rail/ay train* /hich they entered at the :averley Station* conveyed

#ell and her friends to >lasgo/ There* from the ne/ -ridge across

the Clyde* they /atched the curious sea0like movement of the river

fter a night6s rest at Comrie6s Royal Hotel* they -etook themselves

to the terminus of the "din-urgh and >lasgo/ Rail/ay* from /hence



a train /ould ra1idly carry them* -y /ay of $um-arton and Balloch*

to the southern e7tremity of &och &omond

2#o/ for the land of Ro- Roy and ergus 'acIvor=00the scenery

immortali@ed -y the 1oetical descri1tions of :alter Scott*2

e7claimed .ames Starr 2%ou don6t kno/ this country* .ack?2

2Only -y its songs* 'r Starr*2 re1lied .ack9 2and ;udging -y those*

it must -e grand2

2So it is* so it is=2 cried the engineer* 2and our dear #ell

shall see it to the -est advantage2

steam-oat* the SI#C&IR -y name* a/aited tourists a-out to make

the e7cursion to the lakes #ell and her com1anions /ent on -oard

The day had -egun in -rilliant sunshine* free from the British fogs

/hich so often veil the skies

The 1assengers /ere determined to lose none of the -eauties of nature

to -e dis1layed during the thirty miles6 voyage #ell* seated -et/een

.ames Starr and Harry* drank in /ith every faculty the magnificent1oetry

/ith /hich lovely Scottish scenery is fraught #umerous small isles and

islets soon a11eared* as though thickly so/n on the -osom of the lake

The SI#C&IR steamed her /ay among

+4

them* /hile -et/een them glim1ses could -e had of 3uiet valleys*

or /ild rocky gorges on the mainland

2#ell*2 said .ames Starr* 2every island here has its legend*

1erha1s its song* as /ell as the mountains /hich overshado/ the lake

One may* /ithout much e7aggeration* say that the history of this

country is /ritten in gigantic characters of mountains and islands2

#ell listened* -ut these fighting stories made her sad

:hy all that -loodshed on 1lains /hich to her seemed enormous*

and /here surely there must have -een room for every-ody?

The shores of the lake form a little har-or at &uss #ell could

for a moment catch sight of the old to/er of its ancient castle

Then* the SI#C&IR turning north/ard* the tourists ga@ed u1on Ben

&omond*

to/ering nearly +*,,, feet a-ove the level of the lake

2Oh* /hat a no-le mountain=2 cried #ell9 2/hat a vie/ there must

-e from the to1=2

2%es* #ell*2 ans/ered .ames Starr9 2see ho/ haughtily its 1eak

rises from amidst the thicket of oaks* -irches* and heather*

/hich clothe the lo/er 1ortion of the mountain= rom thence one

may see t/o0thirds of old Caledonia This eastern side of the lake

/as the s1ecial a-ode of the clan 'c>regor t no great distance*

the struggles of the .aco-ites and Hanoverians re1eatedly

dyed /ith -lood these lonely glens Over these scenes shines

the 1ale moon* called in old -allads 6'acfarlane6s lantern6



mong these rocks still echo the immortal names of Ro- Roy

and 'c>regor Cam1-ell2

s the SI#C&IR advanced along the -ase of the mountain*

the country -ecame more and more a-ru1t in character

Trees /ere only scattered here and there9 among them /ere the /illo/s*

slender /ands of /hich /ere formerly used for hanging 1ersons

of lo/ degree

2To economi@e hem1*2 remarked .ames Starr

The lake narro/ed very much as it stretched north/ards

The steamer 1assed a fe/ more islets* Inveruglas* "ilad0/ho/* /here

stand

some ruins of a stronghold of the clan 'acarlane t length the head

of the loch /as reached* and the SI#C&IR sto11ed at Inversnaid

&eaving &och rklet on the left* a stee1 ascent led to the Inn

of Stronachlacar* on the -anks of &och 8atrine

There* at the end of a light 1ier* floated a small steam-oat*

named* as a matter of course* the Ro- Roy The travelers

immediately /ent on -oard9 it /as a-out to start &och 8atrine

is only ten miles in length9 its /idth never e7ceeds t/o miles

The hills nearest it are full of a character 1eculiar to themselves

2Here /e are on this famous lake*2 said .ames Starr 2It has

-een com1ared to an eel on account of its length and /indingsA

and ;ustly so They say that it never free@es

I kno/ nothing a-out that* -ut /hat /e /ant to think of is*

that here are the scenes of the adventures in the &ady of

the &ake I -elieve* if friend .ack looked a-out him carefully*

he might see* still gliding over the surface of the /ater*

the shade of the slender form of s/eet "llen $ouglas2

2To -e sure* 'r Starr*2 re1lied .ack9 2/hy should I not?

I may ;ust as /ell see that 1retty girl on the /aters of &och 8atrine*

as those ugly ghosts on &och 'alcolm in the coal 1it2

It /as -y this time three o6clock in the afternoon The less hilly

shores of &och 8atrine /est/ard e7tended like a 1icture framed -et/een

Ben n and Ben enue t the distance of half a mile /as the entrance

to the narro/ -ay* /here /as the landing01lace for our tourists*

/ho meant to return to Stirling -y Callander

#ell a11eared com1letely /orn out -y the continued e7citement of theday

faint e;aculation /as all she /as a-le to utter in token

of admiration as ne/ o-;ects of /onder or -eauty met her ga@e

She re3uired some hours of rest* /ere it -ut to im1ress lastingly

the recollection of all she had seen

Her hand rested in Harry6s* and* looking earnestly at her* he said*

2#ell* dear #ell* /e shall soon -e home again in the gloomy region

of the coal mine Shall you not 1ine for /hat you have seen during



these fe/ hours s1ent in the glorious light of day?2

2#o* Harry*2 re1lied the girl9 2I shall like to think a-out it*

-ut I am glad to go -ack /ith you to our dear old home2

2#ell=2 said Harry* vainly attem1ting to steady his voice*

2are you /illing to -e -ound to me -y the most sacred tie?

Could you marry me* #ell?2

2%es* Harry* I could* if you are sure that I am a-le to make you ha11y*2

ans/ered the maiden* raising her innocent eyes to his

Scarcely had she 1ronounced these /ords /hen an unaccounta-le

1henomenon took 1lace The Ro- Roy* still half a mile

from land* e71erienced a violent shock She suddenly grounded

#o efforts of the engine could move her

The cause of this accident /as sim1ly that &och 8atrine /as all at

once em1tied* as though an enormous fissure had o1ened in its -ed

In a fe/ seconds it had the a11earance of a sea -each at lo/ /ater#early the /hole of its contents had vanished into the -osom

of the earth

2'y friends=2 e7claimed .ames Starr* as the cause of this marvel

-ecame suddenly clear to him* 2>od hel1 #e/ -erfoyle=2

CH!T"R DI I#& THR"T

O# that day* in the colliery of #e/ -erfoyle* /ork /as going on in

the usual regular /ay In the distance could -e heard the crash of

great

charges of dynamite* -y /hich the car-oniferous rocks /ere -lasted

Here masses of coal /ere loosened -y 1ick0a7 and cro/-ar9

there the 1erforating machines* /ith their harsh grating*

-ored through the masses of sandstone and schist

Hollo/* cavernous noises resounded on all sides

$raughts of air rushed along the ventilating galleries*

and the /ooden s/ing0doors slammed -eneath their violent gusts

In the lo/er tunnels* trains of trucks ke1t 1assing along at

the rate of fifteen miles an hour* /hile at their a11roach electric

-ells /arned the /orkmen to co/er do/n in the refuge 1laces

&ifts /ent incessantly u1 and do/n* /orked -y 1o/erful engines

on the surface of the soil Coal To/n /as throughout -rilliantly

lighted -y the electric lam1s at full 1o/er

'ining o1erations /ere -eing carried on /ith the greatest activity9

coal /as -eing 1iled incessantly into the trucks* /hich /ent in hundreds

to em1ty themselves into the corves at the -ottom of the shaft

:hile 1arties of miners /ho

had la-ored during the night /ere taking needful rest* the others

/orked /ithout /asting an hour



Old Simon ord and 'adge* having finished their dinner* /ere resting

at the door of their cottage Simon smoked a good 1i1e of to-acco*

and from time to time the old cou1le s1oke of #ell* of their -oy*

of 'r Starr* and /ondered ho/ they liked their tri1 to the surface

of the earth :here /ould they -e no/? :hat /ould they -e doing?

Ho/ could they stay so long a/ay from the mine /ithout feeling homesick?

.ust then a terrific roaring noise /as heard It /as like the sound of

a

mighty cataract rushing do/n into the mine The old 1eo1le rose

hastily

They 1erceived at once that the /aters of &och 'alcolm /ere rising

great /ave* unfurling like a -illo/* s/e1t u1 the -ank and -roke

against the /alls of the cottage Simon caught his /ife in his arms*

and carried her to the u11er 1art of their d/elling

t the same moment* cries arose from all 1arts of Coal To/n*

/hich /as threatened -y a sudden inundation The inha-itants fled

for safety to the to1 of the schist rocks -ordering the lake9

terror s1read in all directions9 /hole families in frantic haste

rushed to/ards the tunnel in order to reach the u11er regionsof the 1it

It /as feared that the sea had -urst into the colliery* for its

galleries

and 1assages 1enetrated as far as the Caledonian Canal In that case

the entire e7cavation* vast as it /as* /ould -e com1letely flooded

#ot a single inha-itant of #e/ -erfoyle /ould esca1e death

But /hen the foremost fugitives reached the entrance to the tunnel*

they encountered Simon ord* /ho had 3uitted his cottage

2Sto1* my friends* sto1=2 shouted the old man9 2if our to/n

is to -e over/helmed* the floods /ill rush faster than you can9

no one can 1ossi-ly esca1e But see= the /aters are rising

no further= it a11ears to me the danger is over2

2nd our comrades at the far end of the /orks00/hat a-out them?2

cried some of the miners

2There is nothing to fear for them*2 re1lied Simon9 2they are /orking

on a higher level than the -ed of the loch2

It /as soon evident that the old man /as in the right

The sudden influ7 of /ater had rushed to the very lo/est

-ed of the vast mine* and its only ultimate effect /as to raise

the level of &och 'alcolm a fe/ feet Coal To/n /as unin;ured*

and it /as reasona-le to ho1e that no one had 1erished in the floodof /ater /hich had descended to the de1ths of the mine never yet

1enetrated -y the /orkmen

Simon and his men could not decide /hether this inundation /as o/ing

to the overflo/ of a su-terranean sheet of /ater 1enetrating fissures

in the solid rock* or to some underground torrent -reaking through its

/orn -ed* and 1reci1itating itself to the lo/est level of the mine

But that very same evening they kne/ /hat to think a-out it*

for the local 1a1ers 1u-lished an account of the marvelous 1henomenon



/hich &och 8atrine had e7hi-ited

The sur1rising ne/s /as soon after confirmed -y the four travelers* /ho*

returning /ith all 1ossi-le s1eed to the cottage* learned /ith e7treme

satisfaction that no serious damage /as done in #e/ -erfoyle

The -ed of &och 8atrine had fairly given /ay The /aters had suddenly

-roken through -y an enormous fissure into the mine -eneath

Of Sir :alter Scott6s favorite loch there /as not left enough to /et

the 1retty foot of the &ady of the &ake9 all that remained /as a 1ond

of a fe/ acres at the further e7tremity

This singular event made a 1rofound sensation in the country

It /as a thing unheard of that a lake should in the s1ace of a fe/

minutes em1ty itself* and disa11ear into the -o/els of the earth

There /as nothing for it -ut to erase &och 8atrine from the ma1 of

Scotland until (-y 1u-lic su-scri1tion) it could -e refilled* care -eing

of course taken* in the first 1lace* to sto1 the rent u1 tight

This catastro1he /ould have -een the death of Sir :alter Scott*

had he still -een in the /orld

The accident /as e71lica-le /hen it /as ascertained that*

-et/een the -ed of the lake and the vast cavity -eneath*

the geological strata had -ecome reduced to a thin layer*

inca1a-le of longer sustaining the /eight of /ater

#o/* although to most 1eo1le this event seemed 1lainly due

to natural causes* yet to .ames Starr and his friends*

Simon and Harry ord* the 3uestion constantly recurred*

/as it not rather to -e attri-uted to malevolence?

Uneasy sus1icions continually harassed their minds

:as their evil

genius a-out to rene/ his 1ersecution of those /ho ventured to /ork

this rich mine?

t the cottage* some days later* .ames Starr thus discussed

the matter /ith the old man and his sonA 2:ell* Simon*2 said he*

2to my thinking /e must class this circumstance /ith the others

for /hich /e still seek elucidation* although it is no dou-t

1ossi-le to e71lain it -y natural causes2

2I am 3uite of your mind* 'r .ames*2 re1lied Simon* 2-ut take my

advice*

and say nothing a-out it9 let us make all researches ourselves2

2Oh* I kno/ the result of such research -eforehand=2 cried the engineer

2nd /hat /ill it -e* then?2

2:e shall find 1roofs of malevolence* -ut not the malefactor2

2But he e7ists= he is there= :here can he lie concealed?

Is it 1ossi-le to conceive that the most de1raved human -eing could*

single0handed* carry out an idea so infernal as that of -ursting

through the -ed of a lake? I -elieve I shall end -y thinking*

like .ack Ryan* that the evil demon of the mine revenges himself



on us for having invaded his domain2

#ell /as allo/ed to hear as little as 1ossi-le of these discussions

Indeed* she sho/ed no desire to enter into them* although it /as

very evident that she shared in the an7ieties of her ado1ted 1arents

The melancholy in her countenance -ore /itness to much mental agitation

It /as at length resolved that .ames Starr* together /ith

Simon and Harry* should return to the scene of the disaster*

and endeavor to satisfy themselves as to the cause of it

They mentioned their 1ro;ect to no one To those unac3uainted

/ith the grou1 of facts on /hich it /as -ased* the o1inion of Starr

and his friends could not fail to a11ear /holly inadmissi-le

fe/ days later* the three friends 1roceeded in a small -oat to e7amine

the natural 1illars on /hich had rested the solid earth forming

the -asin of &och 8atrine They discovered that they had -een right

in sus1ecting that the massive columns had -een undermined -y -lasting

The -lackened traces of e71losion /ere to -e seen* the /aters having

su-sided -elo/ the level of these mysterious o1erations

Thus the fall of a 1ortion of the vast vaulted dome /as1roved to have -een 1remeditated -y man* and -y man6s hand

had it -een effected

2It is im1ossi-le to dou-t it*2 said .ames Starr9 2and /ho can say

/hat might not have ha11ened had the sea* instead of a little loch*

-een let in u1on us?2

2%ou may /ell say that*2 cried the old overman* /ith a feeling of 1ride

in his -eloved mine9 2for nothing less than a sea /ould have dro/ned

our -erfoyle But* once more* /hat 1ossi-le interest could any human

-eing have in the destruction of our /orks?2

2It is 3uite incom1rehensi-le*2 re1lied .ames Starr 2This case is

something 1erfectly unlike that of a -and of common criminals* /ho*

concealing themselves in dens and caves* go forth to ro- and 1illage

the surrounding country The evil deeds of such men /ould certainly*

in the course of three years have -etrayed their e7istence and

lurking01laces #either can it -e* as I sometimes used to think*

that smugglers or coiners carried on their illegal 1ractices

in some distant and unkno/n corner of these 1rodigious caverns*

and /ere conse3uently an7ious to drive us out of them

But no one coins false money or o-tains contra-and goods only

to conceal them=

2%et it is clear that an im1laca-le enemy has s/orn

the ruin of #e/ -erfoyle* and that some interest urges him

to seek in every 1ossi-le /ay to /reak his hatred u1on usHe a11ears to -e too /eak to act o1enly* and lays his schemes

in secret9 -ut dis1lays such intelligence as to render him

a most formida-le foe

2'y friends* he must understand -etter than /e do the secrets

of our domain* since he has all this time eluded our vigilance

He must -e a man e71erienced in mining* skilled -eyond the most

skillful00

that6s certain* Simon= :e have 1roof enough of that



2&et me see= Have you never had a 1ersonal enemy*

to /hom your sus1icions might 1oint? Think /ell=

There is such a thing as hatred /hich time never softens

>o -ack to recollections of your earliest days

:hat -efalls us a11ears the /ork of a stern and 1atient /ill*

and to e71lain it demands every effort of thought and memory2

Simon did not ans/er immediately00his mind evidently engaged

in a close and candid survey of his 1ast life !resently*

raising his head* 2#o*2 said he9 2no= Heaven -e my /itness*

neither 'adge nor I have ever in;ured any-ody :e cannot

-elieve that /e have a single enemy in the /orld2

2h= if #ell /ould only s1eak=2 cried the engineer

2'r Starr00and you* father*2 said Harry* 2I do -eg of you to kee1

silence on this matter* and not to 3uestion my 1oor #ell I kno/ she

is very an7ious and uneasy9 and I feel 1ositive that some great secret

1ainfully o11resses her heart "ither she kno/s nothing it /ould -e

of any use for us to hear* or she considers it her duty to -e silentIt is im1ossi-le to dou-t her affection for us00for all of us

If at a future time she informs me of /hat she has hitherto concealed

from us* you shall kno/ a-out it immediately2

2So -e it* then* Harry*2 ans/ered the engineer9 2and yet I must say

#ell6s silence* if she kno/s anything* is to me 1erfectly ine71lica-le2

Harry /ould have continued her defense9 -ut the engineer

sto11ed him* saying* 2ll right* Harry9 /e 1romise to say

no more a-out it to your future /ife2

2:ith my father6s consent she shall -e my /ife /ithout further delay2

2'y -oy*2 said old Simon* 2your marriage shall take 1lace

this very day month 'r Starr* /ill you undertake the 1art

of #ell6s father?2

2%ou may reckon u1on me for that* Simon*2 ans/ered the engineer

They then returned to the cottage* -ut said not a /ord

of the result of their e7aminations in the mine* so that to

the rest of its inha-itants* the -ursting in of the vaulted roof

of the caverns continued to -e regarded as a mere accident

There /as -ut a loch the less in Scotland

#ell gradually resumed her customary duties* and Harry made good use

of her little visit to the u11er air* in the instructions he gave herShe en;oyed the recollections of life a-ove ground* yet /ithout

regretting it The som-er region she had loved as a child* and in

/hich her /edded life /ould -e s1ent* /as as dear to her as ever

The a11roaching marriage created great e7citement in

#e/ -erfoyle >ood /ishes 1oured in on all sides* and foremost

among them /ere .ack Ryan6s He /as detected -usily 1racticing

his -est songs in 1re1aration for the great



day* /hich /as to -e cele-rated -y the /hole 1o1ulation of Coal To/n

$uring the month 1receding the /edding0day* there /ere more accidents

occurring in #e/ -erfoyle than had ever -een kno/n in the 1lace

One /ould have thought the a11roaching union of Harry and #ell

actually 1rovoked one catastro1he after another These misfortunes

ha11ened chiefly at the further and lo/est e7tremity of the /orks*

and the cause of them /as al/ays in some /ay mysterious

Thus* for instance* the /ood0/ork of a distant gallery /as discovered

to -e in flames* /hich /ere e7tinguished -y Harry and his com1anions

at the risk of their lives* -y em1loying engines filled /ith /ater

and car-onic acid* al/ays ke1t ready in case of necessity

The lam1 used -y the incendiary /as found9 -ut no cle/ /hatever

as to /ho he could -e

nother time an inundation took 1lace in conse3uence of the stanchions

of a /ater0tank giving /ay9 and 'r Starr ascertained -eyond a dou-t

that these su11orts had first of all -een 1artially sa/n through

Harry* /ho had -een overseeing the /orks near the 1lace at the time*

/as -uried in the falling ru--ish* and narro/ly esca1ed death

fe/ days after/ards* on the steam tram/ay* a train of trucks*

/hich Harry /as 1assing along* met /ith an o-stacle on the rails*

and /as overturned It /as then discovered that a -eam had -een

laid across the line In short* events of this descri1tion -ecame

so numerous that the miners /ere sei@ed /ith a kind of 1anic*

and it re3uired all the influence of their chiefs to kee1 them

on the /orks

2%ou /ould think that there /as a /hole -and of these ruffians*2

Simon ke1t saying* 2and /e can6t lay hands on a single one of them2

Search /as made in all directions The county 1olice /ere on the alert

night and day* yet discovered nothing The evil intentions seeming

s1ecially designed to in;ure Harry Starr for-ade him to venture alone

-eyond the ordinary limits of the /orks

They /ere e3ually careful of #ell* although* at Harry6s entreaty*

these malicious attem1ts to do harm /ere concealed from her*

-ecause they might remind her 1ainfully

of former times Simon and 'adge /atched over her -y day

and -y night /ith a sort of stern solicitude The 1oor child

yielded to their /ishes* /ithout a remark or a com1laint

$id she 1erceive that they acted /ith a vie/ to her interest?

!ro-a-ly she did nd on her 1art* she seemed to /atch over others*

and /as never easy unless all /hom she loved /ere togetherin the cottage

:hen Harry came home in the evening* she could not restrain

e71ressions of child0like ;oy* very unlike her usual manner*

/hich /as rather reserved than demonstrative s soon as day -roke*

she /as astir -efore anyone else* and her constant uneasiness

lasted all day until the hour of return home from /ork

Harry -ecame very an7ious that their marriage should take 1lace



He thought that* /hen the irrevoca-le ste1 /as taken* malevolence /ould

-e disarmed* and that #ell /ould never feel safe until she /as his /ife

.ames Starr* Simon* and 'adge* /ere all of the same o1inion*

and everyone counted the intervening days* for everyone suffered

from the most uncomforta-le fore-odings

It /as 1erfectly evident that nothing relating to #ell /as indifferent

to this hidden foe* /hom it /as im1ossi-le to meet or to avoid

Therefore it seemed 3uite 1ossi-le that the solemn act of her marriage

/ith Harry might -e the occasion of some ne/ and dreadful out-reak

of his hatred

One morning* a /eek -efore the day a11ointed for the ceremony*

#ell* rising early* /ent out of the cottage -efore anyone else

#o sooner had she crossed the threshold than a cry of indescri-a-le

anguish esca1ed her li1s

Her voice /as heard throughout the d/elling9 in a moment*

'adge* Harry* and Simon /ere at her side #ell /as 1ale as death*

her countenance agitated* her features e71ressing the utmost horror

Una-le to s1eak* her eyes /ere riveted on the door of the cottage*/hich she had ;ust o1ened

:ith rigid fingers she 1ointed to the follo/ing /ords traced u1on it

during the nightA 2Simon ord* you have ro--ed me of the last vein

in our old 1it Harry* your son* has ro--ed me of #ell :oe -etide

you=

:oe -etide you all= :oe -etide #e/ -erfoyle=00SI&D2

2Silfa7=2 e7claimed Simon and 'adge together

2:ho is this man?2 demanded Harry* looking alternately at his father

and at the maiden

2Silfa7=2 re1eated #ell in tones of des1air* 2Silfa7=200and*

murmuring this name* her /hole frame shuddering /ith fear

and agitation* she /as -orne a/ay to her cham-er -y old 'adge

.ames Starr* hastening to the s1ot* read the threatening sentences

again and again

2The hand /hich traced these lines*2 said he at length* 2is the same

/hich /rote me the letter contradicting yours* Simon The man calls

himself Silfa7 I see -y your trou-led manner that you kno/ him

:ho is this Silfa7?2

CH!T"R DII TH" 2'O#82

THIS name revealed everything to the old overman

It /as that of the last 2monk2 of the $ochart 1it

In former days* -efore the invention of the safety0lam1* Simon had

kno/n this fierce man* /hose -usiness it /as to go daily* at the risk

of his life* to 1roduce 1artial e71losions of fire0dam1 in the 1assages



He used to see this strange solitary -eing* 1ro/ling a-out the mine*

al/ays accom1anied -y a monstrous o/l* /hich he called Harfang*

/ho assisted him in his 1erilous occu1ation* -y soaring /ith a lighted

match to 1laces Silfa7 /as una-le to reach

One day this old man disa11eared* and at the same time also*

a little or1han girl -orn in the mine* /ho had no relation

-ut himself* her great0grandfather It /as 1erfectly evident

no/ that this child /as #ell $uring the fifteen years*

u1 to the time /hen she /as saved -y Harry* they must have lived

in some secret a-yss of the mine

The old overman* full of mingled com1assion and anger* made kno/n to

the engineer and Harry all that the name of Silfa7 had revealed to him

It e71lained the /hole mystery Silfa7 /as the mysterious -eing so long

vainly sought for in the de1ths of #e/ -erfoyle

2So you kne/ him* Simon?2 demanded 'r Starr

2%es* that I did*2 re1lied the overman 2The Harfang man*

/e used to call him :hy* he /as old then= He must -e fifteenor t/enty years older than I am /ild*

savage sort of fello/* /ho held aloof from everyone and /as kno/n

to fear nothing00neither fire nor /ater It /as his o/n fancy

to follo/ the trade of 6monk*6 /hich fe/ /ould have liked

The constant danger of the -usiness had unsettled his -rain

He /as 1rodigiously strong* and he kne/ the mine as no one else00

at any rate* as /ell as I did He lived on a small allo/ance

In faith* I -elieved him dead years ago2

2But*2 resumed .ames Starr* 2/hat does he mean -y those /ords*

6%ou have ro--ed me of the last vein of our old mine6?2

2h= there it is*2 re1lied Simon9 2for a long time it

had -een a fancy of his00I told you his mind /as deranged00

that he had a right to the mine of -erfoyle9 so he -ecame

more and more savage in tem1er the dee1er the $ochart 1it00

his 1it=00/as /orked out It ;ust seemed as if it /as his

o/n -ody that suffered from every -lo/ of the 1icka7

%ou must remem-er that* 'adge?2

2y* that I do* Simon*2 re1lied she

2I can recollect all this*2 resumed Simon* 2since I have seen the name

of Silfa7 on the door But I tell you* I thought the man /as dead*

and never imagined that the s1iteful -eing /e have so long sought

for could -e the old fireman of the $ochart 1it2

2:ell* no/* then*2 said Starr* 2it is all 3uite 1lain

Chance made kno/n to Silfa7 the ne/ vein of coal

:ith the egotism of madness* he -elieved himself the o/ner

of a treasure he must conceal and defend &iving in the mine*

and /andering a-out day and night* he 1erceived that you had discovered

the secret* and had /ritten in all haste to -eg me to come

Hence the letter contradicting yours9 hence* after my arrival*

all the accidents that occurred* such as the -lock of stone



thro/n at Harry* the -roken ladder at the %arro/ shaft*

the o-struction of the o1enings into the /all of the ne/ cutting9

hence* in short* our im1risonment* and then our deliverance*

-rought a-out -y the kind assistance of #ell* /ho acted of

course /ithout the kno/ledge of this man Silfa7* and contrary

to his intentions2

2%ou descri-e everything e7actly as it must have ha11ened* 'r Starr*2

returned old Simon 2The old 6'onk6 is mad enough no/* at any rate=2

2ll the -etter*2 3uoth 'adge

2I don6t kno/ that*2 said Starr* shaking his head9 2it is a terri-le

sort of madness this2

2h= no/ I understand that the very thought of him must have terrified

1oor little #ell* and also I see that she could not -ear to denounce

her grandfather :hat a misera-le time she must have had of it

/ith the old man=2

2'isera-le /ith a vengeance*2 re1lied Simon* 2-et/een that savage and

his o/l* as savage as himself $e1end u1on it* that -ird isn6t dead

That /as /hat 1ut our lam1 out* and also so nearly cut the ro1e

-y /hich Harry and #ell /ere sus1ended2

2nd then* you see*2 said 'adge* 2this ne/s of the marriage of our son

/ith his granddaughter added to his rancor and ill0/ill2

2To -e sure*2 said Simon 2To think that his #ell should marry

one of the ro--ers of his o/n coal mine /ould ;ust drive

him /ild altogether2

2He /ill have to make u1 his mind to it* ho/ever*2 cried Harry 2'ad as

he is* /e shall manage to convince him that #ell is -etter off

/ith us here than ever she /as in the caverns of the 1it

I am sure* 'r Starr* if /e could only catch him* /e should -e a-le

to make him listen to reason2

2'y 1oor Harry= there is no reasoning /ith a madman*2

re1lied the engineer 2Of course it is -etter to kno/ your

enemy than not9 -ut you must not fancy all is right -ecause /e

have found out /ho he is :e must -e on our guard* my friends9

and to -egin /ith* Harry* you 1ositively must 3uestion #ell

She /ill 1erceive that her silence is no longer reasona-le

"ven for her grandfather6s o/n interest* she ought to s1eak no/

or his o/n sake* as /ell as for ours* these insane 1lots must

-e 1ut a sto1 to2

2I feel sure* 'r Starr*2 ans/ered Harry* 2that #ell /ill

of herself 1ro1ose to tell you /hat she kno/s %ou see it

/as from a sense of duty that she has -een silent hitherto

'y mother /as very right to take her to her room ;ust no/

She much needed time to recover her s1irits9 -ut no/ I /ill

go for her2

2%ou need not do so* Harry*2 said the maiden in a clear and firm voice*



as she entered at that moment the room in /hich they /ere

#ell /as very 1ale9 traces of tears /ere in her eyes9 -ut her /hole

manner sho/ed that she had nerved herself to act as her loyal heart

dictated as her duty

2#ell=2 cried Harry* s1ringing to/ards her

The girl arrested her lover -y a gesture* and continued*

2%our father and mother* and you* Harry* must no/ kno/ all

nd you too* 'r Starr* must remain ignorant of nothing

that concerns the child you have received* and /hom Harry00

unfortunately for him* alas=00dre/ from the a-yss2

2Oh* #ell= /hat are you saying?2 cried Harry

2llo/ her to s1eak*2 said .ames Starr in a decided tone

2I am the granddaughter of old Silfa7*2 resumed #ell 2I never kne/

a mother till the day I came here*2 added she* looking at 'adge

2Blessed -e that day* my daughter=2 said the old /oman

2I kne/ no father till I sa/ Simon ord*2 continued #ell9

2nor friend till the day /hen Harry6s hand touched mine

lone /ith my grandfather I have lived during fifteen

years in the remote and most solitary de1ths of the mine

I say :ITH my grandfather* -ut I can scarcely use the e71ression*

for I seldom sa/ him :hen he disa11eared from Old -erfoyle*

he concealed himself in caverns kno/n only to himself

In his /ay he /as kind to me* dreadful as he /as9 he fed me

/ith /hatever he could 1rocure from outside the mine9 -ut I can

dimly recollect that in my earliest years I /as the nursling

of a goat* the death of /hich /as a -itter grief to me

'y grandfather* seeing my distress* -rought me another animal00

a dog he said it /as But* unluckily* this dog /as lively*

and -arked >randfather did not like anything cheerful

He had a horror of noise* and had taught me to -e silent9

the dog he could not teach to -e 3uiet* so the 1oor animal

very soon disa11eared 'y grandfather6s com1anion /as a

ferocious -ird* Harfang* of /hich* at first* I had a 1erfect horror9

-ut this creature* in s1ite of my dislike to it* took such

a strong affection for me* that I could not hel1 returning it

It even o-eyed me -etter than its master* /hich used to make me

3uite uneasy* for my grandfather /as ;ealous Harfang and I

did not dare to let him see us much together9 /e -oth kne/ it

/ould -e dangerous But I am talking too much a-out myselfA

the great thing is a-out you2

2#o* my child*2 said .ames Starr* 2tell us everything that comes

to your mind2

2'y grandfather*2 continued #ell* 2al/ays regarded your a-ode

in the mine /ith a very evil eye00not that there /as any lack

of s1ace His chosen refuge /as far00very far from you

But he could not -ear to feel that you /ere there If I asked any



3uestions a-out the 1eo1le u1 a-ove us* his face gre/ dark* he gave

no ans/er* and continued 3uite silent for a long time after/ards

But /hen he 1erceived that* not content /ith the old domain*

you seemed to think of encroaching u1on his* then indeed

his anger -urst forth He s/ore that* /ere you to succeed

in reaching the ne/ mine* you should assuredly 1erish

#ot/ithstanding his great age* his strength is astonishing*

and his threats used to make me trem-le2

2>o on* #ell* my child*2 said Simon to the girl* /ho 1aused as though

to collect her thoughts

2On the occasion of your first attem1t*2 resumed #ell*

2as soon as my grandfather sa/ that you /ere fairly

inside the gallery leading to #e/ -erfoyle* he sto11ed

u1 the o1ening* and turned it into a 1rison for you

I only kne/ you as shado/s dimly seen in the gloom of the 1it*

-ut I could not endure the idea that you /ould die of hunger

in these horrid 1laces9 and so* at the risk of -eing detected*

I succeeded in o-taining -read and /ater for you during some days

I should have liked to hel1 you to esca1e* -ut it /asso difficult to avoid the vigilance of my grandfather

%ou /ere a-out to die Then arrived .ack Ryan and the others

By the 1rovidence of >od I met /ith them* and instantly guided

them to /here you /ere :hen my grandfather discovered /hat I

had done* his rage against me /as terri-le I e71ected death

at his hands fter that my life -ecame insu11orta-le to me

'y grandfather com1letely lost his senses He 1roclaimed

himself 8ing of $arkness and lame9 and /hen he heard your tools

at /ork on coal0-eds /hich he considered entirely his o/n*

he -ecame furious and -eat me cruelly I /ould have fled

from him* -ut it /as im1ossi-le* so narro/ly did he /atch me

t last* in a fit of ungoverna-le fury* he thre/ me do/n into

the a-yss /here you found me* and disa11eared* vainly calling

on Harfang* /hich faithfully stayed -y me* to follo/ him

I kno/ not ho/ long I remained there* -ut I felt I /as at

the 1oint of death /hen you* my Harry* came and saved me

But no/ you all see that the grandchild of old Silfa7 can

never -e the /ife of Harry ord* -ecause it /ould -e certain

death to you all=2

2#ell=2 cried Harry

2#o*2 continued the maiden* 2my resolution is taken By one means

only can your ruin -e averted9 I must return to my grandfather

He threatens to destroy the /hole of #e/ -erfoyle His is

a soul inca1a-le of mercy or forgiveness* and no mortal cansay to /hat horrid deed the s1irit of revenge /ill lead him

'y duty is clear9 I should -e the most des1ica-le creature on earth

did I hesitate to 1erform it are/ell= I thank you all heartily

%ou only have taught me /hat ha11iness is :hatever may -efall*

-elieve that my /hole heart remains /ith you2

t these /ords* Simon* 'adge* and Harry started u1 in an agony of grief*

e7claiming in tones of des1air* 2:hat* #ell= is it 1ossi-le you

/ould leave us?2



.ames Starr 1ut them all aside /ith an air of authority* and*

going straight u1 to #ell* he took -oth her hands in his*

saying 3uietly* 2ery right* my child9 you have said e7actly /hat you

ought to say9 and no/ listen to /hat /e have to say in re1ly

:e shall not let you go a/ay9 if necessary* /e shall kee1 you -y force

$o you think /e could -e so -ase as to acce1t of your generous 1ro1osal?

These threats of Silfa7 are formida-le00no dou-t a-out it=

But* after all* a man is -ut a man* and /e can take 1recautions

%ou /ill tell us* /ill you not* even for his o/n sake* all you can

a-out his ha-its and his lurking01laces? ll /e /ant to do is to 1ut

it out of his 1o/er to do harm* and 1erha1s -ring him to reason2

2%ou /ant to do /hat is 3uite im1ossi-le*2 said #ell 2'y grandfather

is every/here and no/here I have never seen his retreats

I have never seen him slee1 If he meant to conceal himself*

he used to leave me alone* and vanish :hen I took my resolution*

'r Starr* I /as a/are of everything you could say against it

Believe me* there is -ut one /ay to render Silfa7 1o/erless*

and that /ill -e -y my return to him Invisi-le himself*

he sees everything that goes on .ust think /hether it islikely he could discover your very thoughts and intentions*

from that time /hen the letter /as /ritten to 'r Starr*

u1 to no/ that my marriage /ith Harry has -een arranged* if he did

not 1ossess the e7traordinary faculty of kno/ing everything

s far as I

am a-le to ;udge* my grandfather* in his very insanity*

is a man of most 1o/erful mind He formerly used to talk to me

on very lofty su-;ects He taught me the e7istence of >od*

and never deceived me -ut on one 1oint* /hich /as00that he made me

-elieve that all men /ere -ase and 1erfidious* -ecause he /ished

to ins1ire me /ith his o/n hatred of all the human race

:hen Harry -rought me to the cottage* you thought I /as sim1ly

ignorant of mankind* -ut* far -eyond that* I /as in mortal fear

of you all h* forgive me= I assure you* for many days I

-elieved myself in the 1o/er of /icked /retches* and I longed

to esca1e %ou* 'adge* first led me to 1erceive the truth*

not -y anything you said* -ut -y the sight of your daily life*

for I sa/ that your hus-and and son loved and res1ected you=

Then all these good and ha11y /orkmen* /ho so revere

and trust 'r Starr* I used to think they /ere slaves9

and /hen* for the first time* I sa/ the /hole 1o1ulation

of -erfoyle come to church and kneel do/n to 1ray to >od*

and 1raise Him for His infinite goodness* I said to myself*

6'y grandfather has deceived me6 But no/* enlightened -y all you

have taught me* I am inclined to think he himself is deceived

I mean to return to the secret 1assages I formerly fre3uented/ith him He is certain to -e on the /atch I /ill call to him9

he /ill hear me* and /ho kno/s -ut that* -y returning to him*

I may -e a-le to -ring him to the kno/ledge of the truth?2

The maiden s1oke /ithout interru1tion* for all felt that it

/as good for her to o1en her /hole heart to her friends

But /hen* e7hausted -y emotion* and /ith eyes full of tears*

she ceased s1eaking* Harry turned to old 'adge and said*



2'other* /hat should you think of the man /ho could forsake

the no-le girl /hose /ords you have -een listening to?2

2I should think he /as a -ase co/ard*2 said 'adge* 2and* /ere he my son*

I should renounce and curse him2

2#ell* do you hear /hat our mother says?2 resumed Harry 2:herever you

go I /ill follo/ you If you 1ersist in leaving us* /e /ill

go a/ay together2

2Harry= Harry=2 cried #ell

Overcome -y her feelings* the girl6s li1s -lanched* and she sank

into the arms of 'adge* /ho -egged she might -e left alone /ith her

CH!T"R DIII #"&&6S :"$$I#>

IT /as agreed that the inha-itants of the cottage must kee1 more on

their guard than ever The threats of old Silfa7 /ere too seriousto -e disregarded It /as only too 1ossi-le that he 1ossessed some

terri-le means -y /hich the /hole of -erfoyle might -e annihilated

rmed sentinels /ere 1osted at the various entrances to

the mine* /ith orders to kee1 strict /atch day and night

ny stranger entering the mine /as -rought -efore .ames Starr*

that he might give an account of himself There -eing no fear

of treason among the inha-itants of Coal To/n* the threatened

danger to the su-terranean colony /as made kno/n to them

#ell /as informed of all the 1recautions taken* and -ecame

more tran3uil* although she /as not free from uneasiness

Harry6s determination to follo/ her /herever she /ent com1elled

her to 1romise not to esca1e from her friends

$uring the /eek 1receding the /edding* no accident /hatever

occurred in -erfoyle The system of /atching /as carefully

maintained* -ut the miners -egan to recover from the 1anic*

/hich had seriously interru1ted the /ork of e7cavation

.ames Starr continued to look out for Silfa7 The old man having

vindictively declared that #ell should never marry Simon6s son*

it /as natural to su11ose that he /ould not hesitate to commit

any violent deed /hich /ould hinder their union

The e7amination of the mine /as carried on minutely

"very 1assage and gallery /as searched* u1 to those higher ranges

/hich o1ened out among the ruins of $undonald Castle It /as rightly

su11osed that through this old -uilding Silfa7 1assed out to o-tain/hat /as needful for the su11ort of his misera-le e7istence

(/hich he must have done* either -y 1urchasing or thieving)

s to the 2fire0maidens*2 .ames Starr -egan to think that a11earance

must have -een 1roduced -y some ;et of fire0dam1 gas /hich*

issuing from that 1art of the 1it* could -e lighted -y Silfa7 He /as

not far /rong9 -ut all search for 1roof of this /as fruitless*

and the continued strain of an7iety in this 1er1etual effort

to detect a malignant and invisi-le -eing rendered the engineer00



out/ardly calm00an unha11y man

+5J

s the /edding0day a11roached* his dread of some catastro1he increased*

and he could not -ut s1eak of it to the old overman* /hose uneasiness

soon more than e3ualed his o/n t length the day came

Silfa7 had given no token of e7istence

By day-reak the entire 1o1ulation of Coal To/n /as astir

:ork /as sus1ended9 overseers and /orkmen alike desired to do

honor to Simon ord and his son They all felt they o/ed a large

de-t of gratitude to these -old and 1ersevering men* -y /hose

means the mine had -een restored to its former 1ros1erity

The ceremony /as to take 1lace at eleven o6clock* in St >iles6s cha1el*

/hich stood on the shores of &och 'alcolm

t the a11ointed time* Harry left the cottage*

su11orting his mother on his arm* /hile Simon led the -ride

ollo/ing them came Starr* the engineer* com1osed in manner*-ut in reality nerved to e71ect the /orst* and .ack Ryan*

ste11ing su1er- in full Highland 1i1er6s costume

Then came the other mining engineers* the 1rinci1al 1eo1le

of Coal To/n* the friends and comrades of the old overman00

every mem-er of this great family of miners forming the 1o1ulation

of #e/ -erfoyle

In the outer /orld* the day /as one of the hottest of the month

of ugust* 1eculiarly o11ressive in northern countries The sultry air

1enetrated the de1ths of the coal mine* and elevated the tem1erature

The air /hich entered through the ventilating shafts* and the great

tunnel of &och 'alcolm* /as charged /ith electricity* and the -arometer*

it /as after/ards remarked* had fallen in a remarka-le manner

There /as* indeed* every indication that a storm might -urst forth

-eneath the rocky vault /hich formed the roof of the enormous cry1t

of the very mine itself

But the inha-itants /ere not at that moment trou-ling themselves

a-out the chances of atmos1heric distur-ance a-ove ground

"very-ody* as a matter of course* had 1ut on his -est clothes

for the occasion 'adge /as dressed in the fashion of days

gone -y* /earing the 2toy2 and the 2rokelay*2 or Tartan 1laid*

of matrons of the olden time* old Simon /ore a coat of /hich

Bailie #icol .arvie himself /ould have a11roved

#ell had resolved to sho/ nothing of her mental agitation9

she for-ade her heart to -eat* or her in/ard terrors to

-etray themselves* and the -rave girl a11eared -efore all /ith a calm

and collected as1ect She had declined every ornament of dress*

and the very sim1licity of her attire added to the charming elegance

of her a11earance Her hair /as -ound /ith the 2snood*2 the usual

head0dress of Scottish maidens

ll 1roceeded to/ards St >iles6s cha1el* /hich had -een handsomely

decorated for the occasion



The electric discs of light /hich illuminated Coal To/n

-la@ed like so many suns luminous atmos1here 1ervaded

#e/ -erfoyle In the cha1el* electric lam1s shed a glo/ over

the stained0glass /indo/s* /hich shone like fiery kaleidosco1es

t the 1orch of the cha1el the minister a/aited the arrival

of the /edding 1arty

It a11roached* after having 1assed in stately 1rocession along

the shore of &och 'alcolm Then the tones of the organ /ere heard*

and* 1receded -y the minister* the grou1 advanced into the cha1el

The $ivine -lessing /as first invoked on all 1resent

Then Harry and #ell remained alone -efore the minister*

/ho* holding the sacred -ook in his hand* 1roceeded to say*

2Harry* /ill you take #ell to -e your /ife* and /ill you 1romise

to love her al/ays?2

2I 1romise*2 ans/ered the young man in a firm and steady voice

2nd you* #ell*2 continued the minister* 2/ill you take Harry

to -e your hus-and* and002

Before he could finish the sentence* a 1rodigious noise resounded

from /ithout One of the enormous rocks* on /hich /as formed

the terrace overhanging the -anks of &och 'alcolm* had suddenly

given /ay and o1ened /ithout e71losion* disclosing a 1rofound a-yss*

into /hich the /aters /ere no/ /ildly 1lunging

In another instant* among the shattered rocks and rushing /aves a11eared

a canoe* /hich a vigorous arm 1ro1elled along the surface of the lake

In the canoe /as seen the figure of an old man standing u1right

He /as clothed in a dark mantle* his hair /as dishevelled* a long

/hite -eard fell over his -reast* and in his hand he -ore a lighted

$avy safety lam1* the flame -eing 1rotected -y the metallic gau@e

of the a11aratus

In a loud voice this old man shouted* 2The fire0dam1 is u1on you=

:oe00/oe -etide ye all=2

t the same moment the slight smell 1eculiar to car-uretted hydrogen

/as 1erce1ti-ly diffused through the atmos1here nd* in truth*

the fall of the rock had made a 1assage of esca1e for an enormous

3uantity of e71losive gas* accumulated in vast cavities* the o1enings

to /hich had hitherto -een -locked u1

.ets and streams of the fire0dam1 no/ rose u1/ard in the vaulted dome9

and /ell did that fierce old man kno/ that the conse3uence of /hat hehad

done /ould -e to render e71losive the /hole atmos1here of the mine

.ames Starr and several others* having hastily 3uitted the cha1el*

and 1erceived the imminence of the danger* no/ rushed -ack*

crying out in accents of the utmost alarm* 2ly from the mine=

ly instantly from the mine=2

2#o/ for the fire0dam1= Here comes the fire0dam1=2 yelled the old man*



urging his canoe further along the lake

Harry /ith his -ride* his father and his mother* left the cha1el

in haste and in terror

2ly= fly for your lives=2 re1eated .ames Starr las= it /as

too late to fly= Old Silfa7 stood there* 1re1ared to fulfill

his last dreadful threat001re1ared to sto1 the marriage of #ell

and Harry -y over/helming the entire 1o1ulation of the 1lace

-eneath the ruins of the coal mine

s he stood ready to accom1lish this act of vengeance* his enormous o/l*

/hose /hite 1lumage /as marked /ith -lack s1ots* /as seen hovering

directly a-ove his head

t that moment a man flung himself into the /aters of the lake*

and s/am vigorously to/ards the canoe

It /as .ack Ryan* fully determined to reach the madman -efore he could

do the dreadful deed of destruction

Silfa7 sa/ him coming Instantly he smashed the glass of his lam1*

and* snatching out the -urning /ick* /aved it in the air

Silence like death fell u1on the astounded multitude .ames Starr*

in the calmness of des1air* marvelled that the inevita-le e71losion

/as even for a moment delayed

Silfa7* ga@ing u1/ards /ith /ild and contracted features* a11eared to

-ecome a/are that the gas* lighter than the lo/er atmos1here*

/as accumulating far u1 under the dome9 and at a sign from him the o/l*

sei@ing in its cla/ the lighted match* soared u1/ards to the vaulted

roof*

to/ards /hich the madman 1ointed /ith outstretched arm

nother second and #e/ -erfoyle /ould -e no more

Suddenly #ell s1rang from Harry6s arms* and* /ith a -right

look of ins1iration* she ran to the very -rink of the /aters

of the lake 2Harfang= Harfang=2 cried she in a clear voice9

2here= come to me=2

The faithful -ird* sur1rised* a11eared to hesitate in its flight

!resently* recogni@ing #ell6s voice* it dro11ed the -urning match

into the /ater* and* descri-ing a /ide circle* fle/ do/n/ards*

alighting at the maiden6s feet

Then a terri-le cry echoed through the vaulted roofs

It /as the last sound uttered -y old Silfa7

.ust as .ack Ryan laid his hand on the edge of the canoe* the old man*

foiled in his 1ur1ose of revenge* cast himself headlong into the /aters

of the lake

2Save him= oh* save him=2 shrieked #ell in a voice of agony

Immediately Harry 1lunged into the /ater* and* s/imming to/ards



.ack Ryan* he dived re1eatedly

But his efforts /ere useless The /aters of &och 'alcolm yielded

not their 1reyA they closed forever over Silfa7

CH!T"R DID TH" &">"#$ O O&$ SI&D

Si7 months after these events* the marriage* so strangely interru1ted*

/as finally cele-rated in St >iles6s cha1el* and the young cou1le*

/ho still /ore mourning garments* returned to the cottage

.ames Starr and Simon ord* henceforth free from the an7ieties /hich

had so long distressed them* ;oyously 1resided over the entertainment

/hich follo/ed the ceremony* and 1rolonged it to the follo/ing day

On this memora-le occasion* .ack Ryan* in his favorite character of

1i1er*

and in all the glory of full dress* -le/ u1 his chanter* and astonished

the com1any -y the unheard of achievement of 1laying* singing* and

dancingall at once

It is needless to say that Harry and #ell /ere ha11y

These loving hearts* after the trials they had gone through found

in their union the ha11iness they deserved

s to Simon ord* the e70overman of #e/ -erfoyle* he -egan to talk

of cele-rating his golden /edding* after

fifty years of marriage /ith good old 'adge* /ho liked

the idea immensely herself

2nd after that* /hy not golden /edding num-er t/o?2

2%ou /ould like a cou1le of fifties* /ould you* 'r Simon?2

said .ack Ryan

2ll right* my -oy*2 re1lied the overman 3uietly* 2I see nothing

against it in this fine climate of ours* and living far from

the lu7ury and intem1erance of the outer /orld2

:ill the d/ellers in Coal To/n ever -e called to /itness this

second ceremony? Time /ill sho/ Certainly the strange -ird

of old Silfa7 seemed destined to attain a /onderful longevity

The Harfang continued to haunt the gloomy recesses of the cave

fter the old man6s death* #ell had attem1ted to kee1 the o/l*

-ut in a very fe/ days he fle/ a/ay He evidently dislikedhuman society as much as his master had done* and* -esides that*

he a11eared to have a 1articular s1ite against Harry The ;ealous

-ird seemed to remem-er and hate him for having carried off #ell

from the dee1 a-yss* not/ithstanding all he could do to 1revent him

Still* at long intervals* #ell /ould see the creature hovering

a-ove &och 'alcolm

Could he 1ossi-ly -e /atching for his friend of yore?

$id he strive to 1ierce* /ith keen eye* the de1ths /hich had



engulfed his master?

The history of the Harfang -ecame legendary* and furnished

.ack Ryan /ith many a tale and song Thanks to him* the story

of old Silfa7 and his -ird /ill long -e 1reserved* and handed

do/n to future generations of the Scottish 1easantry

the underground city.doc

Documents