CHAPTER XXIII.
BURIED ALIVE .-- THE THREE DEADLY PERILS.
Seven miners were buried under the ruins of the shaft; but although masses of coal and clay fell into the hall from the side nearest to the explosions, and blocked up some of the passages, nobody was crushed to death there; only the smoke was so stifling that it seemed impossible to live.
That smoke was lighter than the air; its thick pall lifted by degrees and revealed three figures.
Grace Hope, by happy instinct, had sunk upon the ground to breathe in that stifling smoke.

Hope, who had collared Ben Burnley, had sunk to the ground with him, but still clutched the assassin.

These were the three left alive in the hall, and this was their first struggle for life.
As soon as it was possible to speak Hope took up his lamp, which had fallen, and holding it up high, he cried, "Grace, my child, where are you ?" She came to him directly; he took her in his arms and thanked God for this great preservation.
Then he gave Burnley a kick, and ordered him to the right hand of the hall.

"You'll keep to that side," he said, "and think of what you have done; your victims will keep this side, and comfort each other till honest men undo your work, you villain." Burnley crouched, and wriggled away like a whipped hound, and flung himself down in bitter despair.
"Oh, papa," said Grace, "we have escaped a great danger, but shall we ever see the light of day ?" "Of course we shall, child; be sure that great efforts will be made to save us.

Miners have their faults, but leaving other men to perish is not one of them; there are no greater heroes in the world than those rough fellows, with all their faults.