第15部分(第2/7 頁)

veral　nights　in　the　thickets　of　brushwood　which　clothed　the　hill…side。

Nothing　was　discovered……no　human　being　emerged　from　the　opening。　So　most　people　came　to　the　conclusion　that　the　villains　had　been　finally　dislodged　from　the　mine；　and　that；　as　to　Nell；　they　must　suppose　her　to　be　dead　at　the　bottom　of　the　shaft　where　they　had　left　her。

While　it　remained　unworked；　the　mine　had　been　a　safe　enough　place　of　refuge；　secure　from　all　search　or　pursuit。 But　now；　circumstances　being　altered；　it　became　difficult　to　conceal　this　lurking…place；　and　it　might　reasonably　be　hoped　they　were　gone；　and　that　nothing　for　the　future　was　to　be　dreaded　from　them。

James　Starr；　however；　could　not　feel　sure　about　it；　neither　could　Harry　be　satisfied　on　the　subject；　often　repeating；　〃Nell　has　clearly　been　mixed　up　with　all　this　secret　business。　If　she　had　nothing　more　to　fear；　why　should　she　keep　silence？　It　cannot　be　doubted　that　she　is　happy　with　us。 She　likes　us　all……　she　adores　my　mother。 Her　absolute　silence　as　to　her　former　life；　when　by　speaking　out　she　might　benefit　us；　proves　to　me　that　some　awful　secret；　which　she　dares　not　reveal；　weighs　on　her　mind。　It　may　also　be　that　she　believes　it　better　for　us；　as　well　as　for　herself；　that　she　should　remain　mute　in　a　way　otherwise　so　unaccountable。〃

In　consequence　of　these　opinions；　it　was　agreed　by　mon　consent　to　avoid　all　allusion　to　the　maiden's　former　mode　of　life。　One　day；　however；　Harry　was　led　to　make　known　to　Nell　what　James　Starr；　his　father；　mother；　and　himself　believed　they　owed　to　her　interference。

It　was　a　fete…day。　The　miners　made　holiday　on　the　surface　of　the　county　of　Stirling　as　well　as　in　its　subterraneous　domains。　Parties　of　holiday…makers　were　moving　about　in　all　directions。　Songs　resou