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fore　e　from　the　same　part　of　the　county　of　Stirling。　The　old　miner　had　evidently　not　written　it。　　But；　no　less　evidently；　the　author　of　this　second　letter　knew　the　overman's　secret；　since　it　expressly　contradicted　the　invitation　to　the　engineer　to　go　to　the　Yarrow　shaft。

Was　it　really　true　that　the　first　munication　was　now　without　object？　Did　someone　wish　to　prevent　James　Starr　from　troubling　himself　either　uselessly　or　otherwise？　　Might　there　not　be　rather　a　malevolent　intention　to　thwart　Ford's　plans？

This　was　the　conclusion　at　which　James　Starr　arrived；　after　mature　reflection。　　The　contradiction　which　existed　between　the　two　letters　only　wrought　in　him　a　more　keen

desire　to　visit　the　Dochart　pit。　　And　besides；　if　after　all　it　was　a　hoax；　it　was　well　worth　while　to　prove　it。　　Starr　also　thought　it　wiser　to　give　more　credence　to　the　first　letter　than　to　the　second；　that　is　to　say；　to　the　request　of　such　a　man　as　Simon　Ford；　rather　than　to　the　warning　of　his　anonymous　contradictor。

〃Indeed；〃　said　he；　〃the　fact　of　anyone　endeavoring　to　influence　my　resolution；　shows　that　Ford's　munication　must　be　of　great　importance。　To…morrow；　at　the　appointed　time；　I　shall　be　at　the　rendezvous。〃

In　the　evening；　Starr　made　his　preparations　for　departure。　As　it　might　happen　that　his　absence　would　be　prolonged　for　some　days；　he　wrote　to　Sir　W。　Elphiston；　President　of　the　Royal　Institution；　that　he　should　be　unable　to　be　present　at　the　next　meeting　of　the　Society。　　He　also　wrote　to　excuse　himself　from　two　or　three　engagements　which　he　had　made　for　the　week。　Then；　having　ordered　his　servant　to　pack　a　traveling　bag；　he　went　to　bed；　more　excited　than　the　affair　perhaps　warranted。

The　next　day；　at　five　o'clock；　James　Starr　jumped　out　of　bed；　dressed　himself　warmly；　for　a　cold　rain　was　falling；　and　left　his　house　in　the　Canongate；　to　go　to　Granton　Pier　to　catch　the　steamer；　which　in　three　hours　would　take　him　up　the　Forth　as　far　as　Stirling。

For　the　first　time　in　his　life；　perhaps；　in　passing　along　the　Canongate；　he　did　NOT　TURN　TO　LOOK　AT　HOLYROOD；　the　palace　of　the　former　sovereigns　of　Scotland。　　He　did　not　notice　the　sentinels　who　stood　before　its　gateways；　dressed　in　the　uniform　of　their　Highland　regiment；　tartan　kilt；　plaid　and　sporran　plete。　　His　whole　thought　was　to　reach　Callander　where　Harry　Ford　was　supposedly　awaiting　him。

The　better　to　understand　this　narrative；　it　will　be　as　well　to　hear　a　few　words　on　the　origin　of　coal。　　During　the　geological　epoch；　when　the　terrestrial　spheroid　was　still　in　course　of　formation；　a　thick　atmosphere　surrounded　it；　saturated　with　watery　vapors；　and　copiously　impregnated　with　carbonic　acid。　　The　vapors　gradually　condensed　in　diluvial　rains；　which　fell　as　if　they　had　leapt　from　the　necks　of　thousands　of　millions　of　seltzer　water　bottles。　This　liquid；　loaded　with　carbonic　acid；　rushed　in　torrents　over　a　deep　soft　soil；　subject　to　sudden　or　slow　alterations　of

form；　and　maintained　in　its　semi…fluid　state　as　much　by　the　heat　of　the　sun　as　by　the　fires　of　the　interior　mass。　　The　internal　heat　had　not　as　yet　been　collected　in　the　center　of　the　globe。　The　terrestrial　crust；　thin　and　inpletely　hardened；　allowed　it　to　spread　through　its　pores。　　This　caused　a　peculiar　form　of　vegetation；　such　as　is　probably　produced　on　the　surface　of　the　inferior　plas；　Venus　or　Mercury；　which　revolve　nearer　than　our　earth　around　the　radiant　sun　of　our　system。

The　soil　of　the　continents　was　covered　with　immense　forests。　Carbonic　acid；　so　suitable　for　the　development　of　the　vegetable　kingdom；　abounded。　　The　feet　of　these　trees　were　drowned　in　a　sort　of　immense　lagoon；　kept　continually　full　by　currents　of　fresh　and　salt　waters。　　They　eagerly　assimilated　to　themselves　the　carbon　which　they；　little　by　little；　extracted　from　the　atmosphere；　as　yet　unfit　for　the　function　of　life；　and　it　may　be　said　that　they　were　destined　to　store　it；　in　the　form　of　coal；　in　the　very　bowels　of　the　earth。

It　was　the　earthquake　period；　caused　by　internal　convulsions；　which　suddenly　modified　the　unsettled　features　of　the　terrestrial　surface。　　Here；　an　intumescence　which　was　to　bee　a　mountain；　there；　an　abyss　which　was　to　be　filled　with　an　ocean　or　a　sea。　　There；　whole　forests　sunk　through　the　earth's　crust；　below　the　unfixed　strata；　either　until　they　found　a　resting…place；　such　as　the　primitive　bed　of　granitic　rock；　or；　settling　together　in　a　heap；　they　formed　a　solid　mass。

As　the　waters　were　contained　in　no　bed；　and　were　spread　over　every　part　of　the　globe；　they　rushed　where　they　liked；　tearing　from　the　scarcely…formed　rocks　material　with　which　to　pose　schists；　sandstones；　and　limestones。　　This　the　roving　waves　bore　over　the　submerged　and　now　peaty　forests；　and　deposited　above　them　the　elements　of　rocks　which　were　to　superpose　the　coal　strata。　In　course　of　time；　periods　of　which　include　millions　of　years；　these　earths　hardened　in　layers；　and　enclosed　under　a　thick　carapace　of　pudding…stone；　schist；　pact　or　friable　sandstone；　gravel　and　stones；　the　whole　of　the　massive　forests。

And　what　went　on　in　this　gigantic　crucible；　where　all　this　vegetable　matter　had　accumulated；　sunk　to　various　depths？　A　regular　chemical　operation；　a　sort　of　distillation。　All　the　carbon　contained　in　these　vegetables　had　agglomerated；　and　little　by　little　coal　was　forming　under　the　double　influence　of　enormous　pressure　and　the　high　temperature　maintained　by　the　internal　fires；　at　this　time　so　close　to　it。

Thus　there　was　one　kingdom　substituted　for　another　in　this　slow　but　irresistible　reaction。　　The　vegetable　was　transformed　into　a　mineral。　　Plants　which　had　lived　the　vegeta…tive　life　in　all　the　vigor　of　first　creation　became　petrified。　Some　of　the　substances　enclosed　in　this　vast　herbal　left　their　impression　on　the　other　more　rapidly　mineralized　products；　which　pressed　them　as　an　hydraulic　press　of　incalculable　power　would　have　done。

Thus　also　shells；　zoophytes；　star…fish；　polypi；　spirifores；　even　fish　and　lizards　brought　by　the　water；　left　on　the　yet　soft　coal　their　exact　likeness；　〃admirably　taken　off。〃

Pressure　seems　to　have　played　a　considerable　part　in　the　formation　of　carboniferous　strata。　　In　fact；　it　is　to　its　degree　of　power　that　are　due　the　different　sorts　of　coal；　of　which　industry　makes　use。　Thus　in　the　lowest　layers　of　the　coal　ground　appears　the　anthracite；　which；　being　almost　destitute　of　volatile　matter；　contains　the　greatest　quantity　of　carbon。　　In　the　higher　beds　are　found；　on　the　contrary；　lignite　and　fossil　wood；　substances　in　which　the　quantity　of　carbon　is　infinitely　less。　　Between　these　two　beds；　according　to　the　degree　of　pressure　to　which　they　have　been　subjected；　are　found　veins　of　graphite　and　rich　or　poor　coal。　　It　may　be　asserted　that　it　is　for　want　of　sufficient　pressure　that　beds　of　peaty　bog　have　not　been　pletely　changed　into　coal。　　So　then；　the　origin　of　coal　mines；　in　whatever　part　of　the　globe　they　have　been　discovered；　is　this：　the　absorption　through　the　terrestrial　crust　of　the　great　forests　of　the　geological　period；　then；　the　mineralization　of　the　vegetables　obtained　in　the　course　of　time；　under　the　influence　of　pressure　and　heat；　and　under　the　action　of　carbonic　acid。

Now；　at　the　time　when　the　events　related　in　this　story　took　place；　some　of　the　most　important　mines　of　the　Scottish　coal　beds　had　been　exhausted　by　too　rapid　working。　　In　the　region　which　extends　between　Edinburgh　and　Glasgow；　for　a　distance　of　ten　or　twelve　miles；　lay　the　Aberfoyle　colliery；　of　which　the　engineer；　James　Starr；　had　so　long

directed　the　works。　　For　ten　years　these　mines　had　been　abandoned。　No　new　seams　had　been　discovered；　although　the　soundings　had　been　carried　to　a　depth　of　fifteen　hundred　or　even　of　two　thousand　feet；　and　when　James　Starr　had　retired；　it　was　with　the　full　conviction　that　even　the　smallest　vein　had　been　pletely　exhausted。

Under　these　circumstances；　it　was　plain　that　the　discovery　of　a　new　seam　of　coal　would　be　an　important　event。　Could　Simon　Ford's　munication　relate　to　a　fact　of　this　nature？　This　question　James　Starr　could　not　cease　asking　himself。　Was　he　called　to　make　conquest　of　another　corner　of　these　rich　treasure　fields？　　Fain　would　he　hope　it　was　so。

The　second　letter　had　for　an　instant　checked　his　speculations　on　this　subject；　but　now　he　thought　of　that　letter　no　longer。　　Besides；　the　son　of　the　old　overman　was　there；　waiting　at　the　appointed　rendezvous。　The　anonymous　letter　was　therefore　worth　nothing。

The　moment　the　engineer　set　foot　on　the　platform　at　the　end　of　his　journey；　the　young　man　advanced　towards　him。


〃Are　you　Harry　Ford？〃　asked　the　engineer　quickly。

〃Yes；　Mr。　Starr。〃

〃I　should　not　have　known　you；　my　lad。　　Of　course　in　ten　years　you　have　bee　a　man！〃

〃I　knew　you　directly；　sir；〃　replied　the　young　miner；　cap　in　hand。　〃You　have　not　changed。　　You　look　just　as　you　did　when　you　bade　us　good…by　in　the　Dochart　pit。　　I　haven't　forgotten　that　day。〃

〃Put　on　your　cap；　Harry；〃　said　the　engineer。　　〃It's　pouring；　and　politeness　needn't　make　you　catch　cold。〃

〃Shall　we　take　shelter　anywhere；　Mr。　Starr？〃　asked　young　Ford。

〃No；　Harry。　　The　weather　is　settled。　　It　will　rain　all　day；　and　I　am　in　a　hurry。　　Let　us　go　on。〃

〃I　am　at　your　orders；〃　replied　Harry。

〃Tell　me；　Harry；　is　your　father　well？〃

〃Very　well；　Mr。　Starr。〃

〃And　your　mother？〃

〃She　is　well；　too。〃

〃Was　it　your　father　who　wrote　telling　me　to　e　to　the　Yarrow　shaft？〃

〃No；　it　was　I。〃


〃Then　did　Simon　Ford　send　me　a　second　letter　to　contradict　the　first？〃　asked　the　engineer　quickly。

〃No；　Mr。　Starr；〃　answered　the　young　miner。

〃Very　well；〃　said　Starr；　without　speaking　of　the　anonymous　letter。　Then；　continuing；　〃And　can　you　tell　me　what　you　father　wants　with　me？〃

〃Mr。　Starr；　my　father　wishes　to　tell　you　himself。〃

〃But　you　know　what　it　is？〃

〃I　do；　sir。〃

〃Well；　Harry；　I　will　not　ask　you　more。　　But　let　us　get　on；　for　I'm　anxious　to　see　Simon　Ford。　　By…the…bye；　where　does　he　live？〃

〃In　the　mine。〃

〃What！　　In　the　Dochart　pit？〃

〃Yes；　Mr。　Starr；〃　replied　Harry。

〃Really！　has　your　family　never　left　the　old　mine　since　the　cessation　of　the　works？〃

〃Not　a　day；　Mr。　Starr。　　You　know　my　father。　　It　is　there　he　was　born；　it　is　there　he　means　to　die！〃


〃I　can　understand　that；　Harry。　　I　can　understand　that！　　His　native　mine！　He　did　not　like　to　abandon　it！　　And　are　you　happy　there？〃

〃Yes；　Mr。　Starr；〃　replied　the　young　miner；　〃for　we　love　one　another；　and　we　have　but　few　wants。〃

〃Well；　Harry；〃　said　the　engineer；　〃lead　the　way。〃

And　walking　rapidly　through　the　streets　of　Callander；　in　a　few　minutes　they　had　left　the　town　behind　them。


CHAPTER　III　THE　DOCHART　PIT


HARRY　FORD　was　a　fine；　strapping　fellow　of　five　and　twenty。　His　grave　looks；　his　habitually　passive　expression；　had　from　childhood　been　noticed　among　his　rades　in　the　mine。　His　regular　features；　his　deep　blue　eyes；　his　curly　hair；　rather　chestnut　than　fair；　the　natural　grace　of　his　person；　altogether　made　him　a　fine　specimen　of　a　lowlander。　Accustomed　from　his　earliest　days　to　the　work　of　the　mine；　he　was　strong　and　hardy；　as　well　as　brave　and　good。　Guided　by　his　father；　and　impelled　by　his　own　inclinations；　he　had　early　begun　his　education；　and　at　an　age　when　most　lads

are　little　more　than　apprentices；　he　had　managed　to　make　himself　of　some　importance；　a　leader；　in　fact；　among　his　fellows；　and　few　are　very　ignorant　in　a　country　which　does　all　it　can　to　remove　ignorance。　　Though；　during　the　first　years　of　his　youth；　the　pick　was　never　out　of　Harry's　hand；　nevertheless　the　young　miner　was　not　long　in　acquiring　sufficient　knowledge　to　raise　him　into　the　upper　class　of　the　miners；　and　he　would　certainly　have　succeeded　his　father　as　overman　of　the　Dochart　pit；　if　the　colliery　had　not　been　abandoned。

James　Starr　was　still　a　good　walker；　yet　he　could　not　easily　have　kept　up　with　his　guide；　if　the　latter　had　not　slackened　his　pace。　　The　young　man；　carrying　the　engineer's　bag；　followed　the　left　bank　of　the　river　for　about　a　mile。　　Leaving　its　winding　course；　they　took　a　road　under　tall；　dripping　trees。　Wide　fields　lay　on　either　side；　around　isolated　farms。　In　one　field　a　herd　of　hornless　cows　were　quietly　grazing；　in　another　sheep　with　silky　wool；　like　those　in　a　child's　toy　sheep　fold。

The　Yarrow　shaft　was　situated　four　m