Goodlaw helped her to the carriage.

"Will you come with me?" she asked.

He seated himself beside her and they were driven away. There was
little that he could say to comfort and assure her. The shock was too
recent. The situation of her son was too perilous.

Darkness was coming on when they reached the scene of the disaster;
one or two stars were already out, and the crescent of the new moon
was hanging in the west. Great clouds of white smoke were floating
away to the east, and where the breaker had that morning stood there
was now only a mass of charred and glowing ruins.

There were many people there, people who talked in low tones and
who looked on with solemn faces. But there were no outcries nor
lamentations; there was but one person, a boy, shut up in the mine,
and he was kin to no one there.

Up at the south-west corner of the pile they were throwing water on
the ruins. An engine had been brought up from the city and was pouring
a steady stream on the spot where the shaft was thought to be.

Many men were engaged in cutting and pulling away the burned timbers,
handling them while they were yet glowing with fire, so eager were
they to forward the work of rescue.

The superintendent of the mines was there, directing, encouraging,
and giving a helping hand. He saw Mrs. Burnham and came up to her
carriage.

"It was a very disastrous lightning stroke," he said; "the property of
the company is in ruins, but as yet no lives have been lost. There is
but one person in the mine, the boy Ralph; you both know him. We are
clearing away the wreckage from the mouth of the shaft as rapidly as
possible, in the hope that we may get down there in time to save his
life. Our people have directed me to spare no effort in this matter.
One life, even though it is that of an unknown boy, is not too poor a
thing for us to try, by every possible means, to save."

"That boy," said Goodlaw, "is Mrs. Burnham's son."

"Is it possible! Has he been identified, then, since the trial?"

"Fully, fully! My dear sir, I beg that you will do all that lies in
your power to save this life for your company's sake, then double your
effort for this lady's sake. She has no such fortune as this boy is to
her."

Mrs. Burnham had sat there pale-faced and eager-eyed. Now she spoke:--

"What is the prospect? What are the chances? Can you surely save him?
Tell me truly, Mr. Martin?"

"We cannot say certainly," replied the superintendent; "the