hich　was　formed　the　terrace　overhanging　the　banks　of　Loch　Malcolm；　had　suddenly　given　way　and　opened　without　explosion；　disclosing　a　profound　abyss；　into　which　the　waters　were　now　wildly　plunging。

In　another　instant；　among　the　shattered　rocks　and　rushing　waves　appeared　a　canoe；　which　a　vigorous　arm　propelled　along　the　surface　of　the　lake。　In　the　canoe　was　seen　the　figure　of　an　old　man　standing　upright。　He　was　clothed　in　a　dark　mantle；　his　hair　was　dishevelled；　a　long　white　beard　fell　over　his　breast；　and　in　his　hand　he　bore　a　lighted　Davy　safety　lamp；　the　flame　being　protected　by　the　metallic　gauze　of　the　apparatus。

In　a　loud　voice　this　old　man　shouted；　〃The　fire…damp　is　upon　you！　Woe……woe　betide　ye　all！〃

At　the　same　moment　the　slight　smell　peculiar　to　carburetted　hydrogen　was　perceptibly　diffused　through　the　atmosphere。 And；　in　truth；　the　fall　of　the　rock　had　made　a　passage　of　escape　for　an　enormous　quantity　of　explosive　gas；　accumulated　in　vast　cavities；　the　openings　to　which　had　hitherto　been　blocked　up。

Jets　and　streams　of　the　fire…damp　now　rose　upward　in　the　vaulted　dome；　and　well　did　that　fierce　old　man　know　that　the　consequence　of　what　he　had　done　would　be　to　render　explosive　the　whole　atmosphere　of　the　mine。

James　Starr　and　several　others；　having　hastily　quitted　the　chapel；　and　perceived　the　imminence　of　the　danger；　now　rushed　back；　crying　out　in　accents　of　the　utmost　alarm；　〃Fly　from　the　mine！　Fly　instantly　from　the　mine！〃

〃Now　for　the　fire…damp！　Here　es　the　fire…damp！〃　yelled　the　old　man；　urging　his　canoe　further　along　the　lake。

Harry　with　his　bride；　his　father　and　his　mother；　left　the　chapel　in　haste　and　in　terror。

〃Fly！　fly　for　your　lives！〃　repeated　James　Starr。 Alas！　it　was　too　late　to　fly！ Old　Silf