第19部分(第1/7 页)

in　the　glorious　light　of　day？〃

〃No；　Harry；〃　replied　the　girl；　〃I　shall　like　to　think　about　it；　but　I　am　glad　to　go　back　with　you　to　our　dear　old　home。〃

〃Nell！〃　said　Harry；　vainly　attempting　to　steady　his　voice；　〃are　you　willing　to　be　bound　to　me　by　the　most　sacred　tie？　Could　you　marry　me；　Nell？〃

〃Yes；　Harry；　I　could；　if　you　are　sure　that　I　am　able　to　make　you　happy；〃　answered　the　maiden；　raising　her　innocent　eyes　to　his。

Scarcely　had　she　pronounced　these　words　when　an　unaccountable　phenomenon　took　place。 The　Rob　Roy；　still　half　a　mile　from　land；　experienced　a　violent　shock。 She　suddenly　grounded。　No　efforts　of　the　engine　could　move　her。

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

ON　that　day；　in　the　colliery　of　New　Aberfoyle；　work　was　going　on　in　the　usual　regular　way。 In　the　distance　could　be　heard　the　crash　of　great　charges　of　dynamite；　by　which　the　carboniferous　rocks　were　blasted。　Here　masses　of　coal　were　loosened　by　pick…ax　and　crowbar；　there　the　perforating　machines；　with　their　harsh　grating；　bored　through　the　masses　of　sandstone　and　schist。

Hollow；　cavernous　noises　resounded　on　all　sides。　Draughts　of　air　rushed　along　the　ventilating　galleries；　and　the　wooden　swing…doors　slammed　beneath　their　violent　gusts。　In　the　lower　tunnels；　trains　of　trucks　kept　passing　along　at　the　rate　of　fifteen　miles　an　hour；　while　at　their　appro