But shall we ever see her sweet face again or hear her voice ?" "Father," said Walter, trembling, "you terrify me.

This sudden change in your voice that I never heard falter before; some great calamity must have happened.

Tell me the worst at once." "Walter," said the old man, "stand firm; do not despair, for there is hope." "Thank God for that, father! now tell me all." "Walter, there has been an explosion in the mine--a fearful explosion; the shaft has fallen in; there is no getting access to the mine, and all the poor souls confined there are in mortal peril.

Those who are best acquainted with the mine do not think that many of them have been destroyed by the ruin, but they tell me these explosions let loose poisonous gases, and so now those poor souls are all exposed to three deadly perils--choke-damp, fire-damp, and starvation." "It's pitiable," said Walter, "but surely this is a calamity to Bartley, and to the poor miners, but not to any one that I love, and that you have learnt to respect." "My son," said the Colonel, solemnly, "the mine was fired by foul play." "Is it possible ?" "It is believed that some rival owner, or else some personal enemy of William Hope, bribed a villain to fire some part of the mine that Hope was inspecting." "Great heavens!" said Walter, "can such villains exist?
Poor, poor Mr.
Hope: who would think he had an enemy in the world ?" "Alas!" said the Colonel, "that is not all.

His daughter, it seems, over-heard the villain bribing the ruffian to commit this foul and terrible act, and she flew to the mine directly.