man Silfax, and contrary to his
intentions."

"You describe everything exactly as it must have happened, Mr. Starr,"
returned old Simon. "The old 'Monk' is mad enough now, at any rate!"

"All the better," quoth Madge.

"I don't know that," said Starr, shaking his head; "it is a terrible
sort of madness this."

"Ah! now I understand that the very thought of him must have terrified
poor little Nell, and also I see that she could not bear to denounce her
grandfather. What a miserable time she must have had of it with the old
man!"

"Miserable with a vengeance," replied Simon, "between that savage and
his owl, as savage as himself. Depend upon it, that bird isn't dead.
That was what put our lamp out, and also so nearly cut the rope by which
Harry and Nell were suspended."

"And then, you see," said Madge, "this news of the marriage of our son
with his granddaughter added to his rancor and ill-will."

"To be sure," said Simon. "To think that his Nell should marry one of
the robbers of his own coal mine would just drive him wild altogether."

"He will have to make up his mind to it, however," cried Harry. "Mad as
he is, we shall manage to convince him that Nell is better off with us
here than ever she was in the caverns of the pit. I am sure, Mr. Starr,
if we could only catch him, we should be able to make him listen to
reason."

"My poor Harry! there is no reasoning with a madman," replied the
engineer. "Of course it is better to know your enemy than not; but you
must not fancy all is right because we have found out who he is. We must
be on our guard, my friends; and to begin with, Harry, you positively
must question Nell. She will perceive that her silence is no longer
reasonable. Even for her grandfather's own interest, she ought to speak
now. For his own sake, as well as for ours, these insane plots must be
put a stop to."

"I feel sure, Mr. Starr," answered Harry, "that Nell will of herself
propose to tell you what she knows. You see it was from a sense of duty
that she has been silent hitherto. My mother was very right to take her
to her room just now. She much needed time to recover her spirits; but
now I will go for her."

"You need not do so, Harry," said the maiden in a clear and firm voice,
as she entered at that moment the room in which they were. Nell was very
pale; traces of tears were in her eyes; but her whole manner showed that
she had nerved herself to act as her loyal heart dictated as her