小说园

第15部分（第2页）

〃Perhaps　it　would　have　been　better　for　you　if　you　had；〃　murmured　the　maiden。

〃Why　so；　Nell？　　Was　it　not　just　because　we　were　obstinately　resolved　to　remain　that　we　ended　by　discovering　the　new　vein　of　coal？　And　did　not　that　discovery　lead　to　the　happy　result　of　providing　work　for　a　large　population；　and　restoring　them　to　ease　and　fort？　and　did　it　not　enable　us　to　find　you；　Nell；　to　save　your　life；　and　give　you　the　love　of　all　our　hearts？〃

〃Ah；　yes；　for　me　indeed　it　is　well；　whatever　may　happen；〃　replied　Nell　earnestly；　〃for　others……who　can　tell？〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃

〃Oh；　nothing……nothing。　　But　it　used　to　be　very　dangerous　at　that　time　to　go　into　the　new　cutting……yes；　very　dangerous　indeed；　Harry！　　Once　some　rash　people　made　their　way　into　these　chasms。　　They　got　a　long；　long　way；　they　were　lost！〃

〃They　were　lost？〃　said　Harry；　looking　at　her。

〃Yes；　lost！〃　repeated　Nell　in　a　trembling　voice。　〃They　could　not　find　their　way　out。〃

〃And　there；〃　cried　Harry；　〃they　were　imprisoned　during　eight　long　days！　They　were　at　the　point　of　death；　Nell；　and；　but　for　a　kind　and　charitable　being……an　angel　perhaps……sent　by　God　to　help　them；　who　secretly　brought　them　a　little　food；　but　for　a　mysterious　guide；　who　afterwards　led　to　them　their　deliverers；　they　never　would　have　escaped　from　that　living　tomb！〃

〃And　how　do　you　know　about　that？〃　demanded　the　girl。

〃Because　those　men　were　James　Starr；　my　father；　and　myself；　Nell！〃

Nell　looked　up　hastily；　seized　the　young　mans　hand；　and　gazed　so　fixedly　into　his　eyes　that　his　feelings　were　stirred　to　their　depths。　〃You　were　there？〃　at　last　she　uttered。

〃I　was　indeed；〃　said　Harry；　after　a　pause；　〃and　she　to　whom　we　owe　our　lives　can　have　been　none　other　than　yourself；　Nell！〃

Nell　hid　her　face　in　her　hands　without　speaking。　Harry　had　never　seen　her　so　much　affected。

〃Those　who　saved　your　life；　Nell；〃　added　he　in　a　voice　tremulous　with　emotion；　〃already　owed　theirs　to　you；　do　you　think　they　will　ever　forget　it？〃

CHAPTER　XIII　ON　THE　REVOLVING　LADDER

THE　mining　operations　at　New　Aberfoyle　continued　to　be　carried　on　very　successfully。　　As　a　matter　of　course；　the　engineer；　James　Starr；　as　well　as　Simon　Ford；　the　discoverers　of　this　rich　carboniferous　region；　shared　largely　in　the　profits。

In　time　Harry　became　a　partner。　　But　he　never　thought

of　quitting　the　cottage。　　He　took　his　fathers　place　as　overman；　and　diligently　superintended　the　works　of　this　colony　of　miners。　Jack　Ryan　was　proud　and　delighted　at　the　good　fortune　which　had　befallen　his　rade。　　He　himself　was　getting　on　very　well　also。

They　frequently　met；　either　at　the　cottage　or　at　the　works　in　the　pit。　Jack　did　not　fail　to　remark　the　sentiments　entertained　by　Harry　towards　Nell。　　Harry　would　not　confess　to　them；　but　Jack　only　laughed　at　him　when　he　shook　his　head　and　tried　to　deny　any　special　interest　in　her。

It　must　be　noted　that　Jack　Ryan　had　the　greatest　possible　wish　to　be　of　the　party　when　Nell　should　pay　her　first　visit　to　the　upper　surface　of　the　county　of　Stirling。　　He　wished　to　see　her　wonder　and　admiration　on　first　beholding　the　yet　unknown　face　of　Nature。　　He　very　much　hoped　that　Harry　would　take　him　with　them　when　the　excursion　was　made。　As　yet；　however；　the　latter　had　made　no　proposal　of　the　kind　to　him；　which　caused　him　to　feel　a　little　uneasy　as　to　his　intentions。

One　morning　Jack　Ryan　was　descending　through　a　shaft　which　led　from　the　surface　to　the　lower　regions　of　the　pit。　　He　did　so　by　means　of　one　of　those　ladders　which；　continually　revolving　by　machinery；　enabled　persons　to　ascend　and　descend　without　fatigue。　This　apparatus　had　lowered　him　about　a　hundred　and　fifty　feet；　when　at　a　narrow　landing…place　he　perceived　Harry；　who　was　ing　up　to　his　labors　for　the　day。

〃Well　met；　my　friend！〃　cried　Jack；　recognizing　his　rade　by　the　light　of　the　electric　lamps。

〃Ah；　Jack！〃　replied　Harry；　〃I　am　glad　to　see　you。　Ive　got　something　to　propose。〃

〃I　can　listen　to　nothing　till　you　tell　me　how　Nell　is；〃　interrupted　Jack　Ryan。

〃Nell　is　all　right；　Jack……so　much　so；　in　fact；　that　I　hope　in　a　month　or　six　weeks……〃

〃To　marry　her；　Harry？〃

〃Jack；　you　dont　know　what　you　are　talking　about！〃

〃Ah；　thats　very　likely；　but　I　know　quite　well　what　I　shall　do。〃

〃What　will　you　do？〃

〃Marry　her　myself；　if　you　dont；　so　look　sharp；〃　laughed　Jack。　　〃By　Saint　Mungo！　　I　think　an　immense　deal　of

bonny　Nell！　　A　fine　young　creature　like　that；　who　has　been　brought　up　in　the　mine；　is　just　the　very　wife　for　a　miner。