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to be dead at the bottom of the shaft where they had left her。
While it remained unworked； the mine had been a safe enough place of refuge； secure from all search or pursuit。 But now； circumstances being altered； it became difficult to conceal this lurking…place； and it might reasonably be hoped they were gone； and that nothing for the future was to be dreaded from them。
James Starr； however； could not feel sure about it； neither could Harry be satisfied on the subject； often repeating； 〃Nell has clearly been mixed up with all this secret business。 If she had nothing more to fear； why should she keep silence？ It cannot be doubted that she is happy with us。 She likes us all…… she adores my mother。 Her absolute silence as to her former life； when by speaking out she might benefit us； proves to me that some awful secret； which she dares not reveal； weighs on her mind。 It may also be that she believes it better for us； as well as for herself； that she should remain mute in a way otherwise so unaccountable。〃
In consequence of these opinions； it was agreed by mon consent to avoid all allusion to the maiden's former mode of life。 One day； however； Harry was led to make known to Nell what James Starr； his father； mother； and himself believed they owed to her interference。
It was a fete…day。 The miners made holiday on the surface of the county of Stirling as well as in its subterraneous domains。 Parties of holiday…makers were moving about in all directions。 Songs resounded in many places beneath the sonorous vaults of New Aberfoyle。 Harry and Nell left the cottage； and slowly walked along the left bank of Loch Malcolm。
Then the electric brilliance darted less vividly； and the rays were interrupted with fantastic effect by the sharp angles of the picturesque rocks which supported the dome。 This imperfect light suited Nell； to whose eyes a glare was very unpleasant。
〃Nell；〃 said Harry； 〃your eyes are not fit for daylight yet； and could not bear the brightness of the sun。〃
〃Indeed they could not；〃 replied the girl； 〃if the sun is such as you describe it to me； Harry。〃
〃I cannot by any words； Nell； give you an idea either of his splendor or of the beauty of that universe which your eyes have never beheld。 But tell me； is it really possible that； since the day when you were born in the depths of the coal mine； you never once have been up to the surface of the earth？〃
〃Never once； Harry；〃 said she； 〃I do not believe that； even as an infant； my father or mother ever carried me thither。 I am sure I should have retained some impression of the open air if they had。〃
〃I believe you would；〃 answered Harry。 〃Long ago； Nell； many children used to live altogether in the mine； munication was then difficult； and I have met with more than one young person； quite as ignorant as you are of things above…ground。 But now the railway through our great tunnel takes us in a few minutes to the upper regions of our country。 I long； Nell； to hear you say； 'e； Harry； my eyes can bear daylight； and I want to see the sun！ I want to look upon the works of the Almighty。'〃
〃I shall soon say so； Harry； I hope；〃 replied the girl； 〃I shall soon go with you to the world above； and yet……〃
〃What are you going to say； Nell？〃 hastily cried Harry； 〃can you possibly regret having quitted that gloomy abyss in which you spent your early years； and whence we drew you half dead？〃
〃No； Harry；〃 answered Nell； 〃I was only thinking that darkness is beautiful as well as light。 If you but knew what eyes accustomed to its depth can see！ Shades flit by； which one longs to follow； circles mingle and intertwine； and one could gaze on them forever； black hollows； full of indefinite gleams of radiance； lie deep at the bottom of the mine。 And then the voice…like sounds！ Ah； Harry！ one must have lived down there to understand what I feel； what I can never express。〃
〃And were you not afraid； Nell； all alone there？〃
〃It was just when I was alone that I was not afraid。〃
Nell's voice altered slightly as she said these words； however； Harry thought he might press the subject a little further； so he said； 〃But one might be easily lost in these great galleries； Nell。 Were you not afraid of losing your way？〃
〃Oh； no； Harry； for a long time I had known every turn of the new mine。〃
〃Did you never leave it？〃
〃Yes； now and then；〃 answered the girl with a little hesitation； 〃sometimes I have been as far as the old mine of Aberfoyle。〃
〃So you knew our old cottage？〃
〃The cottage！ oh； yes； but the people who lived there I only saw at a great distance。〃
〃They were my father and mother；〃 said Harry； 〃and I was there too； we have always lived there……we never would give up the old dwelling。〃
〃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 man's 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 father's 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。 I've 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 don't know what you are talking about！〃
〃Ah； that's very likely； but I know quite well what I shall do。〃
〃What will you do？〃
〃Marry her myself； if you don't； 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。 She is an orphan……so am I； and if you don't care much for her； and if she will have me……〃
Harry looked gravely at Jack； and let him talk on without trying to stop him。 〃Don't you begin to feel jealous； Harry？〃 asked Jack in a more serious tone。
〃Not at all；〃 answered Harry quietly。
〃But if you don't marry Nell yourself； you surely can't expect her to remain a spinster？〃
〃I expect nothing；〃 said Harry。
A movement of the ladder machinery now gave the two friends the opportunity……one to go up； the other down the shaft。 However； they remained where they were。
〃Harry；〃 quoth Jack； 〃do you think I spoke in earnest just now about Nell？〃
〃No； that I don't； Jack。〃
〃Well； but now I will！〃
〃You？ speak in earnest？〃
〃My good fellow； I can tell you I am quite capable of giving a friend a bit of advice。〃
〃Let's hear； then； Jack！〃
〃Well； look here！ You love Nell as heartily as she deserves。 Old Simon； your father； and old Madge； your mother； both love her as if she were their daughter。 Why don't you make her so in reality？ Why don't you marry her？〃
〃e； Jack；〃 said Harry； 〃you are running on as if you knew how Nell felt on the subject。〃
〃Everybody knows that；〃 replied Jack； 〃and therefore it is impossible to make you jealous of any of us。 But here goes the ladder again……I'm off！〃
〃Stop a minute； Jack！〃 cried Harry； detaining his panion； who was stepping onto the moving staircase。
〃I say！ you seem to mean me to take up my quarters here altogether！〃
〃Do be serious and listen； Jack！ I want to speak in earnest myself now。〃
〃Well； I'll listen till the ladder moves again； not a minute longer。〃
〃Jack；〃 resumed Harry； 〃I need not pretend that I do not love Nell； I wish above all things to make her my wife。〃
〃That's all right！〃
〃But for the present I have scruples of conscience as to asking her to make me a promise which would be irrevocable。〃
〃What can you mean； Harry？〃
〃I mean just this……that； it being certain Nell has never been outside this coal mine in the very depths of which she was born； it stands to reason that she knows nothing； and can prehend nothing of what exists beyond it。 Her eyes……yes； and perhaps also her heart……have everything yet to learn。 Who can tell what her thoughts will be； when perfectly new impressions shall be made upon her mind？ As yet she knows nothing of the world； and to me it would seem like deceiving her； if I led her to decide in ignorance； upon choosing to remain all her life in the coal mine。 Do you understand me； Jack？〃
〃Hem！……yes……pretty well。 What I understand best is that you are going to make me miss another turn of the ladder。〃
〃Jack；〃 replied Harry gravely； 〃if this machinery were to stop altogether； if this landing…place were to fall beneath our feet； you must and shall hear what I have to say。〃
〃Well done； Harry！ that's how I like to be spoken to！ Let's settle； then； that； before you marry Nell； she shall go to school in Auld Reekie。〃
〃No indeed； Jack； I am perfectly able myself to educate the person who is