第2部分(第1/7 頁)

ow　on　this　day；　James　Starr's　ideas　were　boiling　fast。

But　suddenly　an　unexpected　incident　occurred。 This　was　the　drop　of　cold　water；　which　in　a　moment　was　to　condense　all　the　vapors　of　the　brain。　About　six　in　the　evening；　by　the　third　post；　Starr's　servant　brought　him　a　second　letter。 This　letter　was　enclosed　in　a　coarse　envelope；　and　evidently　directed　by　a　hand　unaccustomed　to　the　use　of　a　pen。　James　Starr　tore　it　open。 It　contained　only　a　scrap　of　paper；　yellowed　by　time；　and　apparently　torn　out　of　an　old　copy　book。

On　this　paper　was　written　a　single　sentence；　thus　worded：

〃It　is　useless　for　the　engineer　James　Starr　to　trouble　himself；　Simon　Ford's　letter　being　now　without　object。〃

No　signature。

CHAPTER　II　ON　THE　ROAD

THE　course　of　James　Starr's　ideas　was　abruptly　stopped；　when　he　got　this　second　letter　contradicting　the　first。

〃What　does　this　mean？〃　said　he　to　himself。 He　took　up　the　torn　envelope；　and　examined　it。 Like　the　other；　it　bore　the　Aberfoyle　postmark。　It　had　therefore　e　from　the　same　part　of　the　county　of　Stirling。　The　old　miner　had　evidently　not　written　it。 But；　no　less　evidently；　the　author　of　this　second　letter　knew　the　overman's　secret；　since　it　expressly　contradicted　the　invitation　to　the　engineer　to　go　to　the　Yarrow　shaft。

Was　it　really　true　that　the　first　munication　was　now　without　object？　Did　someone　wish　to　prevent　James　Starr　from　troubling　himself　either　uselessly　or　otherwise？ Might　there　not　be　rather　a　malevolent　intention　to　thwart　Ford's　plans？

This　was　the　conclusion　at　which　James　Starr　arrived；　after　mature　reflection。 The　contradiction　which　existed　between　the　two　letters　only　wrought　in　him　a　more　keen

desire　to　visit　the　Dochart　pit。 And　besides；　if