e end of the gallery. Who had given this strength to
his feeble legs, and straightened his hollow chest? Old Ivan was
unrecognizable.

After a moment's hesitation the chief miner signed to the others to
obey, and all followed the old man, holding their breath and not daring
to speak. A mysterious force seemed to be guiding him, for without even
looking at his feet he avoided the very numerous crevasses, and strode
over huge stones which had fallen from the roof. As they went along the
overseer had some more torches lit, and the crowd, which advanced in
silence, was followed by a broad train of black smoke, momentarily lit
up by the red reflection of the flame, and at other times lost in the
increasing darkness behind them. The walls and wet roofs of the gallery
were visible by its flickering light. Now and again drops of water fell
on the torches with a hissing sound.

Some one behind him called to the old man, "Ivan!" but the latter did
not turn his head, only gazing in front of him intently. He seemed to
see some one who was only visible to himself.

"Here I am, Lord, here I am!" he repeated from time to time, and it was
surprising to hear how his voice sounded like that of a young man. What
strange cause had roused him so far as to restore to him his former
strength, and what inner flame glowed within him?

"Who is there then?" asked the chief miner, catching him up. "Whom do
you see, Ivan?"

"It is a very long time since I saw Him. When I was a little fellow, I
saw him often. There He is in front of me, all in white. I see His halo.
He marches in the darkness like the sun.... Here I am, Lord, here I am!"

After that no one asked Ivan any more questions.

At the end of the gallery they came up against an obstructing wall
formed by the rock itself; but the old man seemed to see a gleam of
light.

"Here He has passed ... here! There are His shining footsteps," he said,
pointing to the blocks of earth which lay on one side.

The miners began to ply their picks. The earth was so soft that in a few
seconds an opening was made through which the air rushed with such
violence that it nearly extinguished the already flickering flames of
the torches. It was plain that the gallery extended still much farther,
and that if just where it turned round the rock it was obstructed by a
mass of earth, this must be caused by a landslip.

Before they had time to enlarge the opening which had been made, the old
man had already