ep Mrs. Burnham
constantly informed of the progress of the work, and, with a
parting appeal to those in charge to hasten the hour of rescue, the
grief-stricken mother departed.

They drove first to Bachelor Billy's room. Andy was still there and
said he would remain during the night. He said that Billy had spoken
once or twice, apparently in his right mind, and was now sleeping
quietly.

Then Mrs. Burnham went to her home. She passed the long night in
sleepless anxiety, waiting for the messages from the mine, which
followed each other in slow succession. They brought to her no good
news. The work was going on; the opening was full with wreckage; the
air was very bad, even in the shaft. These were the tidings. It was
hardly possible, they wrote, that the boy could still be living.

Long before the last star had paled and faded in the western sky, or
the first rays of the morning sun had shot across the hills, despair
had taken in her heart the place of hope. She could only say: "Well,
he died as his father died, trying to save the lives of others. I have
two lost heroes now to mourn for and be proud of, instead of one."

But even yet there crossed her mind at times the thought that
possibly, possibly the one chance for life as against thousands and
thousands for death might fall to her boy; and the further and deeper
thought that the range of God's mercy was very wide, oh, very wide!

CHAPTER XXIV.

AT THE DAWN OF DAY.

It was not until very late on the morning following the storm that
Bachelor Billy came fully to his senses and realized what had
happened.

He was told that the breaker had been struck by lightning and burned
to the ground, and that his own illness was due to the severity of the
electric shock.

He asked where Ralph was, and they told him that Ralph was up at the
mine. They thought it wiser that he should not know the truth about
the boy just yet.

He thought to get up and dress himself, but he felt so weak and
bruised, and the strong metallic taste in his mouth nauseated him so,
that he yielded to the advice of those who were with him and lay down
again.

He looked up anxiously at the clock, at intervals, and seemed to be
impatient for the noon hour to arrive. He thought Ralph would come
then to his dinner. He wondered that the boy should go away and leave
him for so long a time alone in his illness.

The noon hour came, but Ralph did not come.

Andy Gilgallon returned and trie