nta, is
dead." Then he sent every one out of the room.

When next morning they returned he was dead. He had died of grief,
just as an aged husband will not survive the loss of his wife with
whom he had grown old. So a man with a strong will dies when he has
said that he can no longer support life.

CHAPTER XXXV

THE GROUND BURNS UNDER HIS FEET

Peter Saffran's curse seemed likely to be fulfilled: "Upon this field
no grass shall grow for evermore."

It was true the green grass grew still upon the field, but who could
tell what was seething underneath, in the bosom of the earth?

The directors of the company's mine believed that when they closed all
the entrances and openings to the shafts and vaults, they had given,
by so doing, a check to the conflagration; by preventing the current
of the outer air from getting in, they felt sure the fire must in a
short time be extinguished.

On the other hand, there was the irremediable evil that the supply of
coal gradually diminished; even the necessary material for keeping the
forge heated was wanting. They tried to heat it with wood--there were
plenty of trees in the forest--but without coal the heater would not
work, and much iron was lost in consequence. Instead of iron bars, a
great quantity of "rammers" lay scattered about. It was soon patent
that, from all these causes combined, the company were not in a
condition to fulfil their contract for supplying the railway
contractors with iron rails. The guarantee was in danger, as was also
that of the railway company, in case the railway could not be opened
for traffic at the time promised in their agreement.

The Bondavara Mine Company and Railway Company were, so to speak,
glued to one another; one could hardly take a step without dragging
the other down the dangerous path on which both were going headlong to
ruin.

Being in such evil straits, the directors began to look for help to
the other mine. Coal they must have. In Ivan Behrend's colliery there
must be a large supply. For a whole year he had sold none. They must
buy from him, even at an advanced price.

Raune also bethought himself of begging for coal from the same source.
Surely no one could refuse to oblige an old friend and neighbor.

His letter, however, came back to him with the seal unbroken. At this
moment Raune was terribly hard pressed. He resolved to wait upon Ivan,
and make his request in person.

His visit was a short one. He was in all