第4部分(第4/7 頁)

ey　continued　in　silence　along　the　dark　nave。 Harry　was　evidently　preoccupied；　and　frequently　turned；　trying　to　catch；　either　some　distant　noise；　or　remote　glimmer　of　light。

But　behind　and　before；　all　was　silence　and　darkness。

CHAPTER　IV　THE　FORD　FAMILY

TEN　minutes　afterwards；　James　Starr　and　Harry　issued　from　the　principal　gallery。 They　were　now　standing　in　a　glade；　if　we　may　use　this　word　to　designate　a　vast　and　dark　excavation。　The　place；　however；　was　not　entirely　deprived　of　daylight。　A　few　rays　straggled　in　through　the　opening　of　a　deserted　shaft。　It　was　by　means　of　this　pipe　that　ventilation　was　established　in　the　Dochart　pit。 Owing　to　its　lesser　density；　the　warm　air　was　drawn　towards　the　Yarrow　shaft。 Both　air　and　light；　therefore；　perated　in　some　measure　into　the　glade。

Here　Simon　Ford　had　lived　with　his　family　ten　years；　in　a　subterranean　dwelling；　hollowed　out　in　the　schistous　mass；　where　formerly　stood　the　powerful　engines　which　worked　the　mechanical　traction　of　the　Dochart　pit。

Such　was　the　habitation；　〃his　cottage；〃　as　he　called　it；　in　which　resided　the　old　overman。 As　he　had　some　means　saved　during　a　long　life　of　toil；　Ford　could　have　afforded　to　live　in　the　light　of　day；　among　trees；　or　in　any　town　of　the　kingdom　he　chose；　but　he　and　his　wife　and　son　preferred　remaining　in　the　mine；　where　they　were　happy　together；　having　the　same　opinions；　ideas；　and　tastes。 Yes；　they

were　quite　fond　of　their　cottage；　buried　fifteen　hundred　feet　below　Scottish　soil。 Among　other　advantages；　there　was　no　fear　that　tax　gatherers；　or　rent　collectors　would　ever　e　to　trouble　its　inhabitants。

At　this　period；　Simon　Ford；　the　former　overman　of　the　Dochart　pit；　bore　the　weight　of　sixty…five　years　well。 Tall；　robust；　well…buil