第15部分(第5/7 頁)

appy　result　of　providing　work　for　a　large　population；　and　restoring　them　to　ease　and　fort？　and　did　it　not　enable　us　to　find　you；　Nell；　to　save　your　life；　and　give　you　the　love　of　all　our　hearts？〃

〃Ah；　yes；　for　me　indeed　it　is　well；　whatever　may　happen；〃　replied　Nell　earnestly；　〃for　others……who　can　tell？〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃

〃Oh；　nothing……nothing。 But　it　used　to　be　very　dangerous　at　that　time　to　go　into　the　new　cutting……yes；　very　dangerous　indeed；　Harry！ Once　some　rash　people　made　their　way　into　these　chasms。 They　got　a　long；　long　way；　they　were　lost！〃

〃They　were　lost？〃　said　Harry；　looking　at　her。

〃Yes；　lost！〃　repeated　Nell　in　a　trembling　voice。　〃They　could　not　find　their　way　out。〃

〃And　there；〃　cried　Harry；　〃they　were　imprisoned　during　eight　long　days！　They　were　at　the　point　of　death；　Nell；　and；　but　for　a　kind　and　charitable　being……an　angel　perhaps……sent　by　God　to　help　them；　who　secretly　brought　them　a　little　food；　but　for　a　mysterious　guide；　who　afterwards　led　to　them　their　deliverers；　they　never　would　have　escaped　from　that　living　tomb！〃

〃And　how　do　you　know　about　that？〃　demanded　the　girl。

〃Because　those　men　were　James　Starr；　my　father；　and　myself；　Nell！〃

Nell　looked　up　hastily；　seized　the　young　man's　hand；　and　gazed　so　fixedly　into　his　eyes　that　his　feelings　were　stirred　to　their　depths。　〃You　were　there？〃　at　last　she　uttered。

〃I　was　indeed；〃　said　Harry；　after　a　pause；　〃and　she　to　whom　we　owe　our　lives　can　have　been　none　other　than　yourself；　Nell！〃

Nell　hid　her　face　in　her　hands　without　speaking。　Harry　had　never　seen　her　so　much　affected。

〃Those　who　saved　your　life；　Nell；〃　added　he　in　a　voice　tremulous　with　emotion；　〃already　owed　theirs　to　you；　do　you　think　they　will　ever　forget　it？〃