ple thought
he was visionary, and in some unaccountable way they considered his
mine a joke."

"What a shame!" Jess declared. "They knew the coal was there, though,
didn't they?"

"Oh, yes. But, you see, my husband did not have the capital to develop
the mine, and people of means were unwilling to have anything to do
with the undertaking, owing to the difficulty of getting the coal to
the market. My husband always planned to have a little railway built
into the lake. He knew that it could be done, for he had a route
surveyed at his own expense. But that took the last cent, so there was
nothing left for further development. I really believe the failure of
his plans hastened his death."

"And would no one lend him money?" Jess asked. "Why didn't he come to
my father? He has plenty of money, and so has mother."

"Your father was appealed to time and time again, but he would do
nothing unless my husband sold out his entire right to the mine for a
small sum, which, of course, he refused to do."

"And is my father like that in business?" The girl's eyes were wide
with surprise.

"We found him so, at any rate. But come, dear, let us not talk any
more about this. It is a very painful subject to me, and I did not
intend to bother you with my troubles."

They continued their walk along the shore, around the lower end of the
island, and up the opposite side.

"I believe we are going to have rain before long," Mrs. Hampton
remarked, as she paused and looked at the sky. "I did not notice it
before."

"What a black cloud that is over there," Jess replied. "Why, it looks
like smoke."

Mrs. Hampton turned, and as she did so, she gave a cry of dismay, and
laid her right hand impulsively upon her companion's arm.

"It is smoke! And the wind is blowing it this way! See how it is
rolling toward us. Someone has started a big fire over there, and it
may do a great deal of damage, as everything is so dry."

"But we are safe here on this island, are we not?" Jess anxiously
asked. "The fire can't surely cross the water."

"It can come through the air, though. Burning brands may soon be
falling on all sides, and wherever one alights another fire will be
started. We may have a shower of them here, even before the fire
reaches the lake."

"What are we to do, then?" the girl asked.

"I do not know except to seek refuge in the lake. The water is deep
around the shore of this island, so we could not go out ver