'Give the bottles to Jack Lloyd and Osborne. They would have been right enough but for me and my chum here.'

Would it not be better for you to take one yourself?' asked Rees Thomas, as he lifted the lamp that had been given to him, and looked with peculiar significance into the man's eyes.

'What do you mean?' returned the man, flushing in savage defiance; then, as if doubting whether he had not mistaken what had been said, he continued- Did you ask that, meaning it?'

'Yes.'

'You mean the brandy for the folk there?'
'Yes.'

'You think I might be trusted again with it?'
'Yes.'

Then as God lives in heaven, I will die to-day before another drop shall touch my lips; and I will die, or wash out this foul stain. Rees Thomas, I ask you for us all to hold your tongue about this business till you see the end. Will you?'

6

Will I not! Go, and God be with you. What do I say? He is with you! be sure of that, and intending this to be the last day of your old life, and the first of your new and better one.'

As they were going, he called back one of the men, he who had been the spokesman of the party, and whom his quick eye had detected as lacking the courage, if not the desire of the others, to do something noticeable to redeem their behaviour.

He then explained how he, David, and the other man with them, were all three much burnt and injured, and needed help, and therefore the man called he desired should stay with them.

The others agreed, and went off, and Rees Thomas followed them with his eye as long as he could, as if to judge from their manner of the probabilities of their

success.

He heard afterwards that these men saved Lusty, and

brought him forth with quite a number of others, who must have perished but for the aid they so heroically rendered; and the upshot was that the three became more talked about in the neighbourhood than Rees Thomas himself, as the burning and shining lights of humanity that had redeemed all the horrors of the mine during this day of alarm.

Fearing still worse injury from the cold that affected them all, and from the wind against the burns, Rees Thomas sent for a bundle of canvas.

Each having been rolled in an entire piece by the aid of their assistant, the late brandy drinker, they went rolling rather than walking on, like so many mummies, towards the shaft; seeing already the faint gleams of the summer evening's light at the bottom.

Here they found Israel hard at work receiving the men, as they came or were brought to him out of the mine; ordering those who were strong and uninjured to help others; carefully attending also himself to those who were helpless; binding up wounds temporarily where possible; where it was not, saying a word that, if it did not exactly seem one (in sound) of fraternal kindness, certainly meant well; and all the while despatching as fast as possible, in the order of their need, the men from the bottom to the top of the shaft, having no other means than a bucket; for one of the explosions had utterly smashed the lifting apparatus.

Rees Thomas checked David's cry towards his father which was just about to burst from his lips, and stayed him with a hand on his shoulder, while bidding him watch for a few moments his father's proceedings.

He said no more to David, but left the spectacle to do its own natural work on the boy's mind.

Israel saw nothing of them till they were so close behind him that David was able to put ont his hand and touch his father's, just as it was steadying the bucket for another ascent.

He turned quickly, saw David; turned still farther round, and saw Rees Thomas; then, exhibiting no sign of

emotion, turned again to the bucket, and was most careful in helping one of the injured men into it. Then he spoke aloud

6 Another can go with this man.'

'Send David,' said Rees Thomas.

'No, the injured ones first,' was Israel's reply, looking steadily and enquiringly round upon the circle of dark, grimy, earnest faces and yearning white eyes, each longing to be first, yet unwilling to ask.

'He is injured-is burnt,' said Rees Thomas, and needs prompt aid.'

'Where?' suddenly demanded the father, looking intently at his boy. Not badly, David?'

6

6

Father; I can wait.'

Israel looked in his lad's face with such an expression in his own as David had never before seen there.

You shall, my boy, if it be only that you and I may both think of it hereafter!'

Mr. Rees Thomas has saved my life, father, and he's very ill.'

'Is he?' Again there was a piercing and most intent look, but this time into the features of the former deputy. 'I can do him good, I think. Rees Thomas, come; the bucket waits. Lift him in, men. Be very careful.'

Rees Thomas was for a moment inclined to put some one else foremost, but on second thoughts submitted.

Just as the bucket was about to be swung upwards, Israel said aloud, but as if speaking only to the saviour of David's life

'Rees Thomas, get well, if you please, as soon as possible, for I need a Deputy, and there are people here who think you are right about those morning prayers; so if only discipline be preserved, and work uninterfered with, I am content.'

Waiting no answer, he gave the signal for the ascent. Rees Thomas closed his eyes with a feeling of being a happy man-a happy, blessed, fortunate man-in spite of the anguish of his burns, and the lassitude that every minute seemed to steal over him, and benumb his faculties.

One single ejaculation alone burst from him, and which was heard by his companion and fellow-sufferer in the bucket with surprise and awe

6

Glory to God! It is His doing!'

CHAPTER XXII.

CASTING BREAD INTO THE WATERS.

ON reaching the top, Rees Thomas found a vast crowd of people—men, weeping women, and children—out of whom a certain number had been accepted as assistants. Every one of these was busy tending the wounded, oiling their burns, covering them with wadding, feeding them with food.

A screen of canvas had been hastily put up, with poles, and a piece thrown over as a roof, and there Rees Thomas was taken.

Two or three doctors were at work, but so coolly and deliberately, and so obviously free from the hushed excitement that affects even the medical men most used to the business when the loss of life is serious, that Rees Thomas knew without questioning the general result.

The injuries yet known were few, and as most of the people were already got out of the mine, and the remainder were apparently coming fast to the surface, Dr. Jolliffe felt himself free to comment jocundly on Israel's luck. One man only killed, a few with broken limbs, and that was all as regards the human interests at stake. Then as to the mine itself, why such a calamity, if it must happen, could not possibly have occurred at a more convenient time-when everything was going to be repaired.

To that Rees Thomas put the finishing touch by speaking of David's danger and safety.

By the time Rees Thomas was oiled and bandaged like the rest, and temporarily blinded in the process, he felt so

seriously the increasing sense of physical exhaustion, that he almost forgot even to be grateful for the wonderful relief from actual pain that ensued.

Yet even then he could not but ponder over the look of concern he had seen settle on Dr. Jolliffe's face when he first took off the wrappings, and saw the nature of the injury to the right cheek.

Permanent disfigurement—ah, yes! That was what the doctor saw, he thought, and what Margaret Doubleday would see ere long.

His fortitude seemed at that moment really giving way. It was not one thing, but many things that gathered like shadows of evil and misfortune about him, each affecting him with its own peculiar and depressing influence, till the whole became overwhelming.

As he was preparing to be led home by a brother collier, news came that some friend in the village, a farmer, having heard of his accident, had brought a little chaise to carry him.

To that he was conducted by kind hands, and there found everything, even in so short a time, had been most tenderly studied for his warmth, and ease, and comfort. There were cushions to support his weak frame, wrappers for warmth, beef tea in a bottle for immediate sustenance. His heart was touched, and his soul was full of remorse to God, for his late graceless doubts and repinings.

Rees Thomas wondered, perhaps felt hurt, that he had seen nothing of Margaret among all the other tearful and anxious women at the pit's mouth.

Mrs. Mort he had seen there, conspicuous in the crowd, wringing her hands like a wild creature, and crying out

'Where is he? My boy David! Why do they not bring him up?'

He would gladly have spoken to her, but could not conveniently, and so his eyes had passed away in their search for Margaret.

Not finding her he had hoped that she and her mother had happily remained ignorant of all.