第11部分(第4/7 頁)

ld？〃

〃Certainly　not；〃　answered　Sir　William　Elphiston；　who

had　bee　very　thoughtful。 〃e；　my　lad；　lead　us　to　the　cottage。　There　we　shall　ascertain　the　truth。〃

Jack　Ryan　shook　his　head；　as　if　not　at　all　convinced。　Then；　taking　a　lamp　from　the　hands　of　one　of　the　men；　he　proceeded　with　a　rapid　step　along　the　principal　passage　of　the　Dochart　pit。　The　others　all　followed　him。

In　a　quarter　of　an　hour　the　party　arrived　at　the　excavation　in　which　stood　Simon　Ford's　cottage。 There　was　no　light　in　the　window。 Ryan　darted　to　the　door；　and　threw　it　open。　The　house　was　empty。

They　examined　all　the　rooms　in　the　somber　habitation。　No　trace　of　violence　was　to　be　found。 All　was　in　order；　as　if　old　Madge　had　been　still　there。 There　was　even　an　ample　supply　of　provisions；　enough　to　last　the　Ford　family　for　several　days。

The　absence　of　the　tenants　of　the　cottage　was　quite　unaccountable。　But　was　it　not　possible　to　find　out　the　exact　time　they　had　quitted　it？　Yes；　for　in　this　region；　where　there　was　no　difference　of　day　or　night；　Madge　was　accustomed　to　mark　with　a　cross　each　day　in　her　almanac。

The　almanac　was　pinned　up　on　the　wall；　and　there　the　last　cross　had　been　made　at　the　6th　of　December；　that　is　to　say；　a　day　after　the　arrival　of　James　Starr；　to　which　Ryan　could　positively　swear。　It　was　clear　that　on　the　6th　of　December；　ten　days　ago；　Simon　Ford；　his　wife；　son；　and　guest；　had　quitted　the　cottage。　Could　a　fresh　exploration　of　the　mine；　undertaken　by　the　engineer；　account　for　such　a　long　absence？ Certainly　not。

It　was　intensely　dark　all　round。 The　lamps　held　by　the　men　gave　light　only　just　where　they　were　standing。 Suddenly　Jack　Ryan　uttered　a　cry。　〃Look　there；　there！〃

His　finger　was　pointing　to　a　tolerably　bright　lig