第2部分(第2/7 頁)

after　all　it　was　a　hoax；　it　was　well　worth　while　to　prove　it。 Starr　also　thought　it　wiser　to　give　more　credence　to　the　first　letter　than　to　the　second；　that　is　to　say；　to　the　request　of　such　a　man　as　Simon　Ford；　rather　than　to　the　warning　of　his　anonymous　contradictor。

〃Indeed；〃　said　he；　〃the　fact　of　anyone　endeavoring　to　influence　my　resolution；　shows　that　Ford's　munication　must　be　of　great　importance。　To…morrow；　at　the　appointed　time；　I　shall　be　at　the　rendezvous。〃

In　the　evening；　Starr　made　his　preparations　for　departure。　As　it　might　happen　that　his　absence　would　be　prolonged　for　some　days；　he　wrote　to　Sir　W。　Elphiston；　President　of　the　Royal　Institution；　that　he　should　be　unable　to　be　present　at　the　next　meeting　of　the　Society。 He　also　wrote　to　excuse　himself　from　two　or　three　engagements　which　he　had　made　for　the　week。　Then；　having　ordered　his　servant　to　pack　a　traveling　bag；　he　went　to　bed；　more　excited　than　the　affair　perhaps　warranted。

The　next　day；　at　five　o'clock；　James　Starr　jumped　out　of　bed；　dressed　himself　warmly；　for　a　cold　rain　was　falling；　and　left　his　house　in　the　Canongate；　to　go　to　Granton　Pier　to　catch　the　steamer；　which　in　three　hours　would　take　him　up　the　Forth　as　far　as　Stirling。

For　the　first　time　in　his　life；　perhaps；　in　passing　along　the　Canongate；　he　did　NOT　TURN　TO　LOOK　AT　HOLYROOD；　the　palace　of　the　former　sovereigns　of　Scotland。 He　did　not　notice　the　sentinels　who　stood　before　its　gateways；　dressed　in　the　uniform　of　their　Highland　regiment；　tartan　kilt；　plaid　and　sporran　plete。 His　whole　thought　was　to　reach　Callander　where　Harry　Ford　was　supposedly　awaiting　him。

The　better　to　understand　this　narrative；　it　will　be　as　well　to　hear　a　few　words　on　the　origin　of　coal。 During　the　geological　epoch；　when　th