ackened　his　pace。 The　young　man；　carrying　the　engineer's　bag；　followed　the　left　bank　of　the　river　for　about　a　mile。 Leaving　its　winding　course；　they　took　a　road　under　tall；　dripping　trees。　Wide　fields　lay　on　either　side；　around　isolated　farms。　In　one　field　a　herd　of　hornless　cows　were　quietly　grazing；　in　another　sheep　with　silky　wool；　like　those　in　a　child's　toy　sheep　fold。

The　Yarrow　shaft　was　situated　four　miles　from　Callander。 Whilst　walking；　James　Starr　could　not　but　be　struck　with　the　change　in　the　country。　He　had　not　seen　it　since　the　day　when　the　last　ton　of　Aberfoyle　coal　had　been　emptied　into　railway　trucks　to　be　sent　to　Glasgow。 Agricultural　life　had　now　taken　the　place　of　the　more　stirring；　active；　industrial　life。　The　contrast　was　all　the　greater　because；　during　winter；　field　work　is　at　a　standstill。 But　formerly；　at　whatever　season；　the　mining　population；　above　and　below　ground；　filled　the　scene　with　animation。 Great　wagons　of　coal　used　to　be　passing　night　and　day。 The　rails；　with　their　rotten　sleepers；　now　disused；　were　then　constantly　ground　by　the　weight　of　wagons。 Now　stony　roads　took　the　place　of　the　old　mining　tramways。　James　Starr　felt　as　if　he　was　traversing　a　desert。

The　engineer　gazed　about　him　with　a　saddened　eye。　He　stopped　now　and　then　to　take　breath。 He　listened。　The　air　was　no　longer　filled　with　distant　whistlings　and　the　panting　of　engines。 None　of　those　black　vapors　which　the　manufacturer　loves　to　see；　hung　in　the　horizon；　mingling　with　the　clouds。　No　tall　cylindrical　or　prismatic　chimney　vomited　out　smoke；　after　being　fed　from　the　mine　itself；　no　blast…pipe　was　puffing　out　its　white　vapor。 The　ground；

formerly　black　with　coal　dust；　had　a　bright　look；　to　which　James　Starr's　eyes　were　not　accustomed。

Wh