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The¡¡cause¡¡of¡¡this¡¡accident¡¡was¡¡simply¡¡that¡¡Loch¡¡Katrine¡¡was¡¡all¡¡at¡¡once¡¡emptied£»¡¡as¡¡though¡¡an¡¡enormous¡¡fissure¡¡had¡¡opened¡¡in¡¡its¡¡bed¡£¡¡In¡¡a¡¡few¡¡seconds¡¡it¡¡had¡¡the¡¡appearance¡¡of¡¡a¡¡sea¡¡beach¡¡at¡¡low¡¡water¡£¡¡Nearly¡¡the¡¡whole¡¡of¡¡its¡¡contents¡¡had¡¡vanished¡¡into¡¡the¡¡bosom¡¡of¡¡the¡¡earth¡£

¡¨My¡¡friends£¡¡¨¡¡exclaimed¡¡James¡¡Starr£»¡¡as¡¡the¡¡cause¡¡of¡¡this¡¡marvel¡¡became¡¡suddenly¡¡clear¡¡to¡¡him£»¡¡¡¨God¡¡help¡¡New¡¡Aberfoyle£¡¡¨


CHAPTER¡¡XVI¡¡A¡¡FINAL¡¡THREAT


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had¡¡labored¡¡during¡¡the¡¡night¡¡were¡¡taking¡¡needful¡¡rest£»¡¡the¡¡others¡¡worked¡¡without¡¡wasting¡¡an¡¡hour¡£

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But¡¡when¡¡the¡¡foremost¡¡fugitives¡¡reached¡¡the¡¡entrance¡¡to¡¡the¡¡tunnel£»¡¡they¡¡encountered¡¡Simon¡¡Ford£»¡¡who¡¡had¡¡quitted¡¡his¡¡cottage¡£¡¡¡¨Stop£»¡¡my¡¡friends£»¡¡stop£¡¡¨¡¡shouted¡¡the¡¡old¡¡man£»¡¡¡¨if¡¡our¡¡town¡¡is¡¡to¡¡be¡¡overwhelmed£»¡¡the¡¡floods¡¡will¡¡rush¡¡faster¡¡than¡¡you¡¡can£»¡¡no¡¡one¡¡can¡¡possibly¡¡escape¡£¡¡¡¡But¡¡see£¡¡¡the¡¡waters¡¡are¡¡rising¡¡no¡¡further£¡¡¡it¡¡appears¡¡to¡¡me¡¡the¡¡danger¡¡is¡¡over¡£¡¨

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It¡¡was¡¡soon¡¡evident¡¡that¡¡the¡¡old¡¡man¡¡was¡¡in¡¡the¡¡right¡£¡¡The¡¡sudden¡¡influx¡¡of¡¡water¡¡had¡¡rushed¡¡to¡¡the¡¡very¡¡lowest

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Simon¡¡and¡¡his¡¡men¡¡could¡¡not¡¡decide¡¡whether¡¡this¡¡inundation¡¡was¡¡owing¡¡to¡¡the¡¡overflow¡¡of¡¡a¡¡subterranean¡¡sheet¡¡of¡¡water¡¡perating¡¡fissures¡¡in¡¡the¡¡solid¡¡rock£»¡¡or¡¡to¡¡some¡¡underground¡¡torrent¡¡breaking¡¡through¡¡its¡¡worn¡¡bed£»¡¡and¡¡precipitating¡¡itself¡¡to¡¡the¡¡lowest¡¡level¡¡of¡¡the¡¡mine¡£¡¡But¡¡that¡¡very¡¡same¡¡evening¡¡they¡¡knew¡¡what¡¡to¡¡think¡¡about¡¡it£»¡¡for¡¡the¡¡local¡¡papers¡¡published¡¡an¡¡account¡¡of¡¡the¡¡marvelous¡¡phenomenon¡¡which¡¡Loch¡¡Katrine¡¡had¡¡exhibited¡£

The¡¡surprising¡¡news¡¡was¡¡soon¡¡after¡¡confirmed¡¡by¡¡the¡¡four¡¡travelers£»¡¡who£»¡¡returning¡¡with¡¡all¡¡possible¡¡speed¡¡to¡¡the¡¡cottage£»¡¡learned¡¡with¡¡extreme¡¡satisfaction¡¡that¡¡no¡¡serious¡¡damage¡¡was¡¡done¡¡in¡¡New¡¡Aberfoyle¡£

The¡¡bed¡¡of¡¡Loch¡¡Katrine¡¡had¡¡fairly¡¡given¡¡way¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡waters¡¡had¡¡suddenly¡¡broken¡¡through¡¡by¡¡an¡¡enormous¡¡fissure¡¡into¡¡the¡¡mine¡¡beneath¡£¡¡Of¡¡Sir¡¡Walter¡¡Scott's¡¡favorite¡¡loch¡¡there¡¡was¡¡not¡¡left¡¡enough¡¡to¡¡wet¡¡the¡¡pretty¡¡foot¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Lady¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Lake£»¡¡all¡¡that¡¡remained¡¡was¡¡a¡¡pond¡¡of¡¡a¡¡few¡¡acres¡¡at¡¡the¡¡further¡¡extremity¡£

This¡¡singular¡¡event¡¡made¡¡a¡¡profound¡¡sensation¡¡in¡¡the¡¡country¡£¡¡It¡¡was¡¡a¡¡thing¡¡unheard¡¡of¡¡that¡¡a¡¡lake¡¡should¡¡in¡¡the¡¡space¡¡of¡¡a¡¡few¡¡minutes¡¡empty¡¡itself£»¡¡and¡¡disappear¡¡into¡¡the¡¡bowels¡¡of¡¡the¡¡earth¡£¡¡There¡¡was¡¡nothing¡¡for¡¡it¡¡but¡¡to¡¡erase¡¡Loch¡¡Katrine¡¡from¡¡the¡¡map¡¡of¡¡Scotland¡¡until¡¡£¨by¡¡public¡¡subscription£©¡¡it¡¡could¡¡be¡¡refilled£»¡¡care¡¡being¡¡of¡¡course¡¡taken£»¡¡in¡¡the¡¡first¡¡place£»¡¡to¡¡stop¡¡the¡¡rent¡¡up¡¡tight¡£¡¡This¡¡catastrophe¡¡would¡¡have¡¡been¡¡the¡¡death¡¡of¡¡Sir¡¡Walter¡¡Scott£»¡¡had¡¡he¡¡still¡¡been¡¡in¡¡the¡¡world¡£

The¡¡accident¡¡was¡¡explicable¡¡when¡¡it¡¡was¡¡ascertained¡¡that£»¡¡between¡¡the¡¡bed¡¡of¡¡the¡¡lake¡¡and¡¡the¡¡vast¡¡cavity¡¡beneath£»¡¡the¡¡geological¡¡strata¡¡had¡¡bee¡¡reduced¡¡to¡¡a¡¡thin¡¡layer£»¡¡incapable¡¡of¡¡longer¡¡sustaining¡¡the¡¡weight¡¡of¡¡water¡£

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genius¡¡about¡¡to¡¡renew¡¡his¡¡persecution¡¡of¡¡those¡¡who¡¡ventured¡¡to¡¡work¡¡this¡¡rich¡¡mine£¿

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¡¨Oh£»¡¡I¡¡know¡¡the¡¡result¡¡of¡¡such¡¡research¡¡beforehand£¡¡¨¡¡cried¡¡the¡¡engineer¡£

¡¨And¡¡what¡¡will¡¡it¡¡be£»¡¡then£¿¡¨

¡¨We¡¡shall¡¡find¡¡proofs¡¡of¡¡malevolence£»¡¡but¡¡not¡¡the¡¡malefactor¡£¡¨

¡¨But¡¡he¡¡exists£¡¡¡he¡¡is¡¡there£¡¡¡¡¡Where¡¡can¡¡he¡¡lie¡¡concealed£¿¡¡Is¡¡it¡¡possible¡¡to¡¡conceive¡¡that¡¡the¡¡most¡¡depraved¡¡human¡¡being¡¡could£»¡¡single¡­handed£»¡¡carry¡¡out¡¡an¡¡idea¡¡so¡¡infernal¡¡as¡¡that¡¡of¡¡bursting¡¡through¡¡the¡¡bed¡¡of¡¡a¡¡lake£¿¡¡¡¡I¡¡believe¡¡I¡¡shall¡¡end¡¡by¡¡thinking£»¡¡like¡¡Jack¡¡Ryan£»¡¡that¡¡the¡¡evil¡¡demon¡¡of¡¡the¡¡mine¡¡revenges¡¡himself¡¡on¡¡us¡¡for¡¡having¡¡invaded¡¡his¡¡domain¡£¡¨

Nell¡¡was¡¡allowed¡¡to¡¡hear¡¡as¡¡little¡¡as¡¡possible¡¡of¡¡these¡¡discussions¡£¡¡Indeed£»¡¡she¡¡showed¡¡no¡¡desire¡¡to¡¡enter¡¡into¡¡them£»¡¡although¡¡it¡¡was¡¡very¡¡evident¡¡that¡¡she¡¡shared¡¡in¡¡the¡¡anxieties¡¡of¡¡her¡¡adopted¡¡parents¡£¡¡The¡¡melancholy¡¡in¡¡her¡¡countenance¡¡bore¡¡witness¡¡to¡¡much¡¡mental¡¡agitation¡£

It¡¡was¡¡at¡¡length¡¡resolved¡¡that¡¡James¡¡Starr£»¡¡together¡¡with¡¡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¡¡project¡¡to¡¡no¡¡one¡£¡¡¡¡To¡¡those¡¡unacquainted¡¡with¡¡the¡¡group¡¡of¡¡facts¡¡on¡¡which¡¡it¡¡was¡¡based£»¡¡the¡¡opinion¡¡of¡¡Starr¡¡and¡¡his¡¡friends¡¡could¡¡not¡¡fail¡¡to¡¡appear¡¡wholly¡¡inadmissible¡£

A¡¡few¡¡days¡¡later£»¡¡the¡¡three¡¡friends¡¡proceeded¡¡in¡¡a¡¡small¡¡boat¡¡to¡¡examine¡¡the¡¡natural¡¡pillars¡¡on¡¡which¡¡had¡¡rested¡¡the¡¡solid¡¡earth¡¡forming¡¡the¡¡basin¡¡of¡¡Loch¡¡Katrine¡£¡¡¡¡They¡¡discovered¡¡that¡¡they¡¡had¡¡been¡¡right¡¡in¡¡suspecting¡¡that¡¡the¡¡massive¡¡columns¡¡had¡¡been¡¡undermined¡¡by¡¡blasting¡£¡¡The¡¡blackened¡¡traces¡¡of¡¡explosion¡¡were¡¡to¡¡be¡¡seen£»¡¡the¡¡waters¡¡having¡¡subsided¡¡below¡¡the¡¡level¡¡of¡¡these¡¡mysterious¡¡operations¡¡Thus¡¡the¡¡fall¡¡of¡¡a¡¡portion¡¡of¡¡the¡¡vast¡¡vaulted¡¡dome¡¡was¡¡proved¡¡to¡¡have¡¡been¡¡premeditated¡¡by¡¡man£»¡¡and¡¡by¡¡man's¡¡hand¡¡had¡¡it¡¡been¡¡effected¡£

¡¨It¡¡is¡¡impossible¡¡to¡¡doubt¡¡it£»¡¨¡¡said¡¡James¡¡Starr£»¡¡¡¨and¡¡who¡¡can¡¡say¡¡what¡¡might¡¡not¡¡have¡¡happened¡¡had¡¡the¡¡sea£»¡¡instead¡¡of¡¡a¡¡little¡¡loch£»¡¡been¡¡let¡¡in¡¡upon¡¡us£¿¡¨

¡¨You¡¡may¡¡well¡¡say¡¡that£»¡¨¡¡cried¡¡the¡¡old¡¡overman£»¡¡with¡¡a¡¡feeling¡¡of¡¡pride¡¡in¡¡his¡¡beloved¡¡mine£»¡¡¡¨for¡¡nothing¡¡less¡¡than¡¡a¡¡sea¡¡would¡¡have¡¡drowned¡¡our¡¡Aberfoyle¡£¡¡¡¡But£»¡¡once¡¡more£»¡¡what¡¡possible¡¡interest¡¡could¡¡any¡¡human¡¡being¡¡have¡¡in¡¡the¡¡destruction¡¡of¡¡our¡¡works£¿¡¨

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¡¨Yet¡¡it¡¡is¡¡clear¡¡that¡¡an¡¡implacable¡¡enemy¡¡has¡¡sworn¡¡the¡¡ruin¡¡of¡¡New¡¡Aberfoyle£»¡¡and¡¡that¡¡some¡¡interest¡¡urges¡¡him¡¡to¡¡seek¡¡in¡¡every¡¡possible¡¡way¡¡to¡¡wreak¡¡his¡¡hatred¡¡upon¡¡us¡£¡¡He¡¡appears¡¡to¡¡be¡¡too¡¡weak¡¡to¡¡act¡¡openly£»¡¡and¡¡lays¡¡his¡¡schemes¡¡in¡¡secret£»¡¡but¡¡displays¡¡such¡¡intelligence¡¡as¡¡to¡¡render¡¡him¡¡a¡¡most¡¡formidable¡¡foe¡£

¡¨My¡¡friends£»¡¡he¡¡must¡¡understand¡¡better¡¡than¡¡we¡¡do¡¡the¡¡secrets¡¡of¡¡our¡¡domain£»¡¡since¡¡he¡¡has¡¡all¡¡this¡¡time¡¡eluded¡¡our¡¡vigilance¡£¡¡He¡¡must¡¡be¡¡a¡¡man¡¡experienced¡¡in¡¡mining£»¡¡skilled¡¡beyond¡¡the¡¡most¡¡skillful¡­¡­¡¡that's¡¡certain£»¡¡Simon£¡¡¡¡¡We¡¡have¡¡proof¡¡enough¡¡of¡¡that¡£

¡¨Let¡¡me¡¡see£¡¡¡¡¡Have¡¡you¡¡never¡¡had¡¡a¡¡personal¡¡enemy£»¡¡to¡¡whom¡¡your¡¡suspicions¡¡might¡¡point£¿¡¡¡¡Think¡¡well£¡¡¡There¡¡is¡¡such¡¡a¡¡thing¡¡as¡¡hatred¡¡which¡¡time¡¡never¡¡softens¡£¡¡Go¡¡back¡¡to¡¡recollections¡¡of¡¡your¡¡earliest¡¡days¡£¡¡What¡¡befalls¡¡us¡¡appears¡¡the¡¡work¡¡of¡¡a¡¡stern¡¡and¡¡patient¡¡will£»¡¡and¡¡to¡¡explain¡¡it¡¡demands¡¡every¡¡effort¡¡of¡¡thought¡¡and¡¡memory¡£¡¨

Simon¡¡did¡¡not¡¡answer¡¡immediately¡­¡­his¡¡mind¡¡evidently¡¡engaged¡¡in¡¡a¡¡close¡¡and¡¡candid¡¡survey¡¡of¡¡his¡¡past¡¡life¡£¡¡¡¡Presently£»¡¡raising¡¡his¡¡head£»¡¡¡¨No£»¡¨¡¡said¡¡he£»¡¡¡¨no£¡¡¡¡¡Heaven¡¡be¡¡my¡¡witness£»¡¡neither¡¡Madge¡¡nor¡¡I¡¡have¡¡ever¡¡injured¡¡anybody¡£¡¡¡¡We¡¡cannot¡¡believe¡¡that¡¡we¡¡have¡¡a¡¡single¡¡enemy¡¡in¡¡the¡¡world¡£¡¨

¡¨Ah£¡¡¡if¡¡Nell¡¡would¡¡only¡¡speak£¡¡¨¡¡cried¡¡the¡¡engineer¡£

¡¨Mr¡£¡¡Starr¡­¡­and¡¡you£»¡¡father£»¡¨
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