things. If
one or more malevolent beings were concealed in the coal-pit, and there
concocted mischief, Nell surely could have warned them of it, yet she
said nothing. The slightest allusion to her past life brought on such
fits of violent emotion, that it was judged best to avoid the subject
for the present. Her secret would certainly escape her by-and-by.

By the time Nell had been a fortnight in the cottage, she had become a
most intelligent and zealous assistant to old Madge. It was clear that
she instinctively felt she should remain in the dwelling where she had
been so charitably received, and perhaps never dreamt of quitting it.
This family was all in all to her, and to the good folks themselves Nell
had seemed an adopted child from the moment when she first came beneath
their roof. Nell was in truth a charming creature; her new mode of
existence added to her beauty, for these were no doubt the first happy
days of her life, and her heart was full of gratitude towards those to
whom she owed them. Madge felt towards her as a mother would; the old
woman doted upon her; in short, she was beloved by everybody. Jack Ryan
only regretted one thing, which was that he had not saved her himself.
Friend Jack often came to the cottage. He sang, and Nell, who had never
heard singing before, admired it greatly; but anyone might see that she
preferred to Jack's songs the graver conversation of Harry, from whom by
degrees she learnt truths concerning the outer world, of which hitherto
she had known nothing.

It must be said that, since Nell had appeared in her own person, Jack
Ryan had been obliged to admit that his belief in hobgoblins was in a
measure weakened. A couple of months later his credulity experienced
a further shock. About that time Harry unexpectedly made a discovery
which, in part at least, accounted for the apparition of the
fire-maidens among the ruins of Dundonald Castle at Irvine.

During several days he had been engaged in exploring the remote
galleries of the prodigious excavation towards the south. At last he
scrambled with difficulty up a narrow passage which branched off through
the upper rock. To his great astonishment, he suddenly found himself in
the open air. The passage, after ascending obliquely to the surface of
the ground, led out directly among the ruins of Dundonald Castle.

There was, therefore, a communication between New Aberfoyle and the
hills crowned by this ancient castle. The upper entra