s；　indeed；　Mr。　Starr。 That　was　where　our　picks　tore　out　the　last　bit　of　coal　in　the　seam。 I　remember　it　as　if　it　were　yesterday。　I　myself　gave　that　last　blow；　and　it　re…echoed　in　my　heart　more　dismally　than　on　the　rock。 Only　sandstone　and　schist　were　round　us　after　that；　and　when　the　truck　rolled　towards　the　shaft；　I　followed；　with　my　heart　as　full　as　though　it　were　a　funeral。　It　seemed　to　me　that　the　soul　of　the　mine　was　going　with　it。〃

The　gravity　with　which　the　old　man　uttered　these　words　impressed　the　engineer；　who　was　not　far　from　sharing　his　sentiments。　They　were　those　of　the　sailor　who　leaves　his　disabled　vessel……　of　the　proprietor　who　sees　the　house　of　his　ancestors　pulled　down。　He　pressed　Ford's　hand；　but　now　the　latter　seized　that　of　the　engineer；　and；　wringing　it：

〃That　day　we　were　all　of　us　mistaken；〃　he　exclaimed。 〃No！ The　old　mine　was　not　dead。 It　was　not　a　corpse　that　the　miners　abandoned；　and　I　dare　to　assert；　Mr。　Starr；　that　its　heart　beats　still。〃

〃Speak；　Ford！ Have　you　discovered　a　new　vein？〃　cried　the　engineer；　unable　to　contain　himself。 〃I　know　you　have！ Your　letter　could　mean　nothing　else。〃

〃Mr。　Starr；〃　said　Simon　Ford；　〃I　did　not　wish　to　tell　any　man　but　yourself。〃

〃And　you　did　quite　right；　Ford。 But　tell　me　how；　by　what　signs；　are　you　sure？〃

〃Listen；　sir！〃　resumed　Simon。 〃It　is　not　a　seam　that　I　have　found。〃

〃What　is　it；　then？〃

〃Only　positive　proof　that　such　a　seam　exists。〃

〃And　the　proof？〃

〃Could　fire…damp　issue　from　the　bowels　of　the　earth　if　coal　was　not　there　to　produce　it？〃

〃No；　certainly　not！〃　replied　the　engineer。 〃No　coal；　no　fire…damp。　No　effects　without　a　cause。〃

〃Just　as　no　smoke　without　fire。〃

〃And　have　you　recognized　the　presence　of