"This is all news to me, dear," Mrs. Hampton replied as she pressed the
girl's hand in hers. "What reason has Eben for disliking you?"

"I don't know. But he has acted very strangely ever since those two
men were injured at the quarry. He was so pleasant and agreeable
before that."

"John met you there that night, did he not?" Mrs. Hampton asked.

"Oh, yes. We were together all the next day, and had such a happy
time."

"But what of Eben?"

"I didn't see him at all, and when we went down to the boat in the
evening he wasn't there. I asked for him, and one of the workmen said
he had run away when he saw us coming. The rest of the men thought it
was a big joke and had a great laugh."

Owing to the darkness Jess could not see the smile that flitted across
her mother's face. Mrs. Hampton was somewhat amused at the girl's
simplicity, although to her the reason for Eben's strange behaviour was
quite apparent.

"Eben doesn't dislike you, dear," she told her. "He loves you instead,
and loves you so much that he is jealous of John because he thinks he
has taken you from him."

"Eben loves me!" Jess exclaimed in surprise. "Why, I never thought of
such a thing."

"I know you didn't. But I believe it is true, nevertheless. And I
don't blame the boy, for how could anyone help loving you?"

Before Jess could reply a peculiar muffled sound drifted into the mine.
It startled them, for it was like a cry of someone in distress.

"It must be Eben," Mrs. Hampton declared, as she rose quickly to her
feet. "Let us go and find, out what is the matter."

It did not take them long to grope their way to the entrance, for as
they advanced they were guided by the light from the opening. Smoke
was hovering about the mouth of the mine, and the air felt somewhat
cool.

"It is raining!" Jess exclaimed. "The fire is all out." Then she gave
a cry of fright as Eben's body, huddled upon the ground, met her eyes.
Mrs. Hampton had seen it, too, and was first by the boy's side.

"Is he dead?" Jess asked in an awed voice.

"No, he is alive," Mrs. Hampton replied as she felt his pulse. "But
look at his face! Isn't it terribly burned!"

"And his hands, arms, and body!" Jess replied. "Oh, the poor boy!" She
dropped upon her knees by his side, and took one of the swollen hands
in hers. "He must have been burned when he leaped through the fire at
the landing," she continued. "And he must have been suffering all the
time whi