atest possible wish to be of
the party when Nell should pay her first visit to the upper surface of
the county of Stirling. He wished to see her wonder and admiration on
first beholding the yet unknown face of Nature. He very much hoped that
Harry would take him with them when the excursion was made. As yet,
however, the latter had made no proposal of the kind to him, which
caused him to feel a little uneasy as to his intentions.

One morning Jack Ryan was descending through a shaft which led from the
surface to the lower regions of the pit. He did so by means of one of
those ladders which, continually revolving by machinery, enabled persons
to ascend and descend without fatigue. This apparatus had lowered
him about a hundred and fifty feet, when at a narrow landing-place he
perceived Harry, who was coming up to his labors for the day.

"Well met, my friend!" cried Jack, recognizing his comrade by the light
of the electric lamps.

"Ah, Jack!" replied Harry, "I am glad to see you. I've got something to
propose."

"I can listen to nothing till you tell me how Nell is," interrupted Jack
Ryan.

"Nell is all right, Jack--so much so, in fact, that I hope in a month or
six weeks--"

"To marry her, Harry?"

"Jack, you don't know what you are talking about!"

"Ah, that's very likely; but I know quite well what I shall do."

"What will you do?"

"Marry her myself, if you don't; so look sharp," laughed Jack. "By Saint
Mungo! I think an immense deal of bonny Nell! A fine young creature like
that, who has been brought up in the mine, is just the very wife for a
miner. She is an orphan--so am I; and if you don't care much for her,
and if she will have me--"

Harry looked gravely at Jack, and let him talk on without trying to
stop him. "Don't you begin to feel jealous, Harry?" asked Jack in a more
serious tone.

"Not at all," answered Harry quietly.

"But if you don't marry Nell yourself, you surely can't expect her to
remain a spinster?"

"I expect nothing," said Harry.

A movement of the ladder machinery now gave the two friends the
opportunity--one to go up, the other down the shaft. However, they
remained where they were.

"Harry," quoth Jack, "do you think I spoke in earnest just now about
Nell?"

"No, that I don't, Jack."

"Well, but now I will!"

"You? speak in earnest?"

"My good fellow, I can tell you I am quite capable of giving a friend a
bit of advice."

"Let's hear, then, Jack!"

"Well, lo