第13部分(第2/7 頁)

is　malignant　being；　whoever　he　is；　has　by　no　means　given　up　his　evil　intentions。　I　can　hardly　say　on　what　I

found　my　convictions。 But　at　any　rate；　for　the　sake　of　the　new　works；　I　must　and　will　know　who　he　is　and　whence　he　es。〃

〃For　the　sake　of　the　new　works　did　you　say？〃　asked　Jack；　considerably　surprised。

〃I　said　so；　Jack；〃　returned　Harry。 〃I　may　be　mistaken；　but；　to　me；　all　that　has　happened　proves　the　existence　of　an　interest　in　this　mine　in　strong　opposition　to　ours。　Many　a　time　have　I　considered　the　matter；　I　feel　almost　sure　of　it。　Just　consider　the　whole　series　of　inexplicable　circumstances；　so　singularly　linked　together。 To　begin　with；　the　anonymous　letter；　contradictory　to　that　of　my　father；　at　once　proves　that　some　man　had　bee　aware　of　our　projects；　and　wished　to　prevent　their　acplishment。 Mr。　Starr　es　to　see　us　at　the　Dochart　pit。　No　sooner　does　he　enter　it　with　me　than　an　immense　stone　is　cast　upon　us；　and　munication　is　interrupted　by　the　breaking　of　the　ladders　in　the　Yarrow　shaft。 We　mence　exploring。　An　experiment；　by　which　the　existence　of　a　new　vein　would　be　proved；　is　rendered　impossible　by　stoppage　of　fissures。　Notwithstanding　this；　the　examination　is　carried　out；　the　vein　discovered。 We　return　as　we　came；　a　prodigious　gust　of　air　meets　us；　our　lamp　is　broken；　utter　darkness　surrounds　us。 Nevertheless；　we　make　our　way　along　the　gloomy　passage　until；　on　reaching　the　entrance；　we　find　it　blocked　up。　There　we　were……imprisoned。 Now；　Jack；　don't　you　see　in　all　these　things　a　malicious　intention？ Ah；　yes；　believe　me；　some　being　hitherto　invisible；　but　not　supernatural；　as　you　will　persist　in　thinking；　was　concealed　in　the　mine。 For　some　reason；　known　only　to　himself；　he　strove　to　keep　us　out　of　it。　WAS　there；　did　I　say？ I　fee