the world。〃
〃Ah！ if Nell would only speak！〃 cried the engineer。
〃Mr。 Starr……and you； father；〃 said Harry； 〃I do beg of you to keep silence on this matter； and not to question my poor Nell。 I know she is very anxious and uneasy； and I feel positive that some great secret painfully oppresses her heart。 Either she knows nothing it would be of any use for us to hear； or she considers it her duty to be silent。 It is impossible to doubt her affection for us……for all of us。 If at a future time she informs me of what she has hitherto concealed from us； you shall know about it immediately。〃
〃So be it； then； Harry；〃 answered the engineer； 〃and yet I must say Nell's silence； if she knows anything； is to me perfectly inexplicable。〃
Harry would have continued her defense； but the engineer stopped him； saying； 〃All right； Harry； we promise to say no more about it to your future wife。〃
〃With my father's consent she shall be my wife without further delay。〃
〃My boy；〃 said old Simon； 〃your marriage shall take place this very day month。 Mr。 Starr； will you undertake the part of Nell's father？〃
〃You may reckon upon me for that； Simon；〃 answered the engineer。
They then returned to the cottage； but said not a word of the result of their examinations in the mine； so that to the rest of its inhabitants； the bursting in of the vaulted roof of the caverns continued to be regarded as a mere accident。 There was but a loch the less in Scotland。
Nell gradually resumed her customary duties； and Harry made good use of her little visit to the upper air； in the instructions he gave her。 She enjoyed the recollections of life above ground； yet without regretting it。 The somber region she had loved as a child； and in which her wedded life would be spent； was as dear to her as ever。
The approaching marriage created great excitement in New Aberfoyle。 Good wishes poured in on all sides； and foremost among them were Jack Ryan's。 He was detected busily practicing his best songs in preparation for the great
day； which was to be celebrated by the whole population of Coal Town。
During the month preceding the wedding…day； there were more accidents occurring in New Aberfoyle than had ever been known in the place。 One would have thought the approaching union of Harry and Nell actually provoked one catastrophe after another。 These misfortunes happened chiefly at the further and lowest extremity of the works； and the cause of them was always in some way mysterious。
Thus； for instance； the wood…work of a distant gallery was discovered to be in flames； which were extinguished by Harry and his panions at the risk of their lives； by employing engines filled with water and carbonic acid； always kept ready in case of necessity。 The lamp used by the incendiary was found； but no clew whatever as to who he could be。
Another time an inundation took place in consequence of the stanchions of a water…tank giving way； and Mr。 Starr ascertained beyond a doubt that these supports had first of all been partially sawn through。 Harry； who had been overseeing the works near the place at the time； was buried in the falling rubbish； and narrowly escaped death。
A few days afterwards； on the steam tramway； a train of trucks； which Harry was passing along； met with an obstacle on the rails； and was overturned。 It was then discovered that a beam had been laid across the line。 In short； events of this description became so numerous that the miners were seized with a kind of panic； and it required all the influence of their chiefs to keep them on the works。
〃You would think that there was a whole band of these ruffians；〃 Simon kept saying； 〃and we can't lay hands on a single one of them。〃
Search was made in all directions。 The county police were on the alert night and day； yet discovered nothing。 The evil intentions seeming specially designed to injure Harry。 Starr forbade him to venture alone beyond the ordinary limits of the works。
They were equally careful of Nell； although； at Harry's entreaty； these malicious attempts to do harm were concealed from her； because they might remind her painfully
of former times。 Simon and Madge watched over her by day and by night with a sort of stern solicitude。 The poor child yielded to their wishes； without a remark or a plaint。 Did she perceive that they acted with a view to her interest？ Probably she did。 And on her part； she seemed to watch over others； and was never easy unless all whom she loved were together in the cottage。
When Harry came home in the evening； she could not restrain expressions of child…like joy； very unlike her usual manner； which was rather reserved than demonstrative。 As soon as day broke； she was astir before anyone else； and her constant uneasiness lasted all day until the hour of return home from work。
Harry became very anxious that their marriage should take place。 He thought that； when the irrevocable step was taken； malevolence would be disarmed； and that Nell would never feel safe until she was his wife。 James Starr； Simon； and Madge； were all of the same opinion； and everyone counted the intervening days； for everyone suffered from the most unfortable forebodings。
It was perfectly evident that nothing relating to Nell was indifferent to this hidden foe； whom it was impossible to meet or to avoid。 Therefore it seemed quite possible that the solemn act of her marriage with Harry might be the occasion of some new and dreadful outbreak of his hatred。
One morning； a week before the day appointed for the ceremony； Nell； rising early； went out of the cottage before anyone else。 No sooner had she crossed the threshold than a cry of indescribable anguish escaped her lips。
Her voice was heard throughout the dwelling； in a moment； Madge； Harry； and Simon were at her side。 Nell was pale as death； her countenance agitated； her features expressing the utmost horror。 Unable to speak； her eyes were riveted on the door of the cottage； which she had just opened。
With rigid fingers she pointed to the following words traced upon it during the night： 〃Simon Ford； you have robbed me of the last vein in our old pit。 Harry； your son； has robbed me of Nell。 Woe betide you！ Woe betide you all！ Woe betide New Aberfoyle！……SILFAX。〃
〃Silfax！〃 exclaimed Simon and Madge together。
〃Who is this man？〃 demanded Harry； looking alternately at his father and at the maiden。
〃Silfax！〃 repeated Nell in tones of despair； 〃Silfax！〃……and； murmuring this name； her whole frame shuddering with fear and agitation； she was borne away to her chamber by old Madge。
James Starr； hastening to the spot； read the threatening sentences again and again。
〃The hand which traced these lines；〃 said he at length； 〃is the same which wrote me the letter contradicting yours； Simon。 The man calls himself Silfax。 I see by your troubled manner that you know him。 Who is this Silfax？〃
CHAPTER XVII THE 〃MONK〃
THIS name revealed everything to the old overman。 It was that of the last 〃monk〃 of the Dochart pit。
In former days； before the invention of the safety…lamp； Simon had known this fierce man； whose business it was to go daily； at the risk of his life； to produce partial explosions of fire…damp in the passages。 He used to see this strange solitary being； prowling about the mine； always acpanied by a monstrous owl； which he called Harfang； who assisted him in his perilous occupation； by soaring with a lighted match to places Silfax was unable to reach。
One day this old man disappeared； and at the same time also； a little orphan girl born in the mine； who had no relation but himself； her great…grandfather。 It was perfectly evident now that this child was Nell。 During the fifteen years； up to the time when she was saved by Harry； they must have lived in some secret abyss of the mine。
The old overman； full of mingled passion and anger； made known to the engineer and Harry all that the name of Silfax had revealed to him。 It explained the whole mystery。 Silfax was the mysterious being so long vainly sought for in the depths of New Aberfoyle。
〃So you knew him； Simon？〃 demanded Mr。 Starr。
〃Yes； that I did；〃 replied the overman。 〃The Harfang man； we used to call him。 Why； he was old then！ He must be fifteen or twenty years older than I am。 A wild；
savage sort of fellow； who held aloof from everyone and was known to fear nothing……neither fire nor water。 It was his own fancy to follow the trade of 'monk；' which few would have liked。 The constant danger of the business had unsettled his brain。 He was prodigiously strong； and he knew the mine as no one else…… at any rate； as well as I did。 He lived on a small allowance。 In faith； I believed him dead years ago。〃
〃But；〃 resumed James Starr； 〃what does he mean by those words； 'You have robbed me of the last vein of our old mine'？〃
〃Ah！ there it is；〃 replied Simon； 〃for a long time it had been a fancy of his……I told you his mind was deranged…… that he had a right to the mine of Aberfoyle； so he became more and more savage in temper the deeper the Dochart pit…… his pit！……was worked out。 It just seemed as if it was his own body that suffered from every blow of the pickax。 You must remember that； Madge？〃
〃Ay； that I do； Simon；〃 replied she。
〃I can recollect all this；〃 resumed Simon； 〃since I have seen the name of Silfax on the door。 But I tell you； I thought the man was dead； and never imagined that the spiteful being we have so long sought for could be the old fireman of the Dochart pit。〃
〃Well； now； then；〃 said Starr； 〃it is all quite plain。 Chance made known to Silfax the new vein of coal。 With the egotism of madness； he believed himself the owner of a treasure he must conceal and defend。 Living in the mine； and wandering about day and night； he perceived that you had discovered the secret； and had written in all haste to beg me to e。 Hence the letter contradicting yours； hence； after my arrival； all the accidents that occurred； such as the block of stone thrown at Harry； the broken ladder at the Yarrow shaft； the obstruction of the openings into the wall of the new cutting； hence； in short； our imprisonment； and then our deliverance； brought about by the kind assistance of Nell； who acted of course without the knowledge of this man Silfax； and contrary to his intentions。〃
〃You describe everything exactly as it must have happened； Mr。 Starr；〃 returned old Simon。 〃The old 'Monk' is mad enough now； at any rate！〃
〃All the better；〃 quoth Madge。
〃I don't know that；〃 said Starr； shaking his head； 〃it is a terrible sort of madness this。〃
〃Ah！ now I understand that the very thought of him must have terrified poor little Nell； and also I see that she could not bear to denounce her grandfather。 What a miserable time she must have had of it with the old man！〃
〃Miserable with a vengeance；〃 replied Simon； 〃between that savage and his owl； as savage as himself。 Depend upon it； that bird isn't dead。 That was what put our lamp out； and also so nearly cut the rope by which Harry and Nell were suspended。〃
〃And then； you see；〃 said Madge； 〃this news of the marriage of our son with his granddaughter added to his rancor and ill…will。〃
〃To be sure；〃 said Simon。 〃To think that his Nell should marry one of the robbers