When Thomas Hampton laboured so hard in opening up his mine on the shore of Island Lake, he little thought in what manner it would one day be used. He had toiled through long weary months, working with pick and shovel, until he had drifted one hundred feet into the side of the hill. He had shored up the roof of the mine with poles he had cut and dragged from the forest, until everything was secure to his entire satisfaction. He had the coal unearthed and ready to be brought forth, but little interest was taken in his efforts, and he had no money to carry on the enterprise.
"We shall come into our own some day," he had told his wife not long before his death. "The mine will be used, and success and fortune will be ours."
Mrs. Hampton thought of these words as she and her companions sat huddled there in the darkness at the farther end of the mine. It had been hard groping their way thither, for the ground was rough, and they had no light to guide their steps. But they were thankful for this refuge, and it was good to sit there and rest.
"Guess the fire can't reach us now," Eben remarked. "Wish to goodness I had a match, so's we could see what kind of a place this is. But I left my vest in the car, and the matches were in the pocket."
"What car?" Mrs. Hampton asked.
"Lord Fiddlesticks'."
"You mean Lord Donaster?"
"I guess that's his name, but dad calls him 'Fiddlesticks'."
"And you were with him? Where was he going?"
"Why, he was comin' here, of course. Where'd ye think he was goin'?"
"What was he coming here for?" Jess sharply asked.
"To see you, I guess."
"How did he know where I was?"
"H'm, he found out all right. Ye can't hide from him fer long. He thinks a lot of you, he sure does."
"Where is he now, then?"
"Oh, he skedaddled when he saw the fire. He was 'most scared t' death."
"So he left you alone to save us?" Jess asked. "There was a note of tenderness in her voice.
"Oh, I didn't mind. He'd only been in the way. He's no good."
"And you came right through the fire to help us! We would have been burned alive but for you."
"I'm glad I was in time. Oh!" Eben tried to smother the groan, but in vain. The intense excitement on the lake while seeing from the flames had kept his mind from his burns, but now in the darkness and stillness of the mine it was different. His sufferings increased, and he felt like screaming with the pain. He could sit still no longer.
"You stay here," he ordered, "while I go an' see how things look outside."
"Be careful of yourself, and keep out of the fire," Mrs. Hampton warned.
"Oh, I'll be keerful," Eben faintly replied, as he groped his way along the dark passage. "I won't run no risk."
Left alone, the women talked about the fire, and the bravery of their young rescuer.
"Eben is certainly a hero," Mrs. Hampton remarked. "How can we ever repay him for what he has done for us to-day?"
"He must have done it for your sake?" Jess replied. "I am sure he didn't do it for me."
"Why not?" Mrs. Hampton asked in surprise.
"He doesn't like me. I feel certain that it was Eben who threw the stone which hit me that night at the quarry. And then when he came home yesterday and met John and me on the shore he was very angry. He picked up a stick and threw it with all his might. It hit John, but I really believe it was meant for me."
"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 while he was rowing us here, and we were too much excited to notice it. Now I understand the meaning of that groan in the mine. Oh, what are we to do?"
"I am afraid we can do nothing," Mrs. Hampton replied. "The fire has destroyed the boat, so we cannot cross the lake. The only thing to do is to leave you here with Eben while I go for assistance."
"Perhaps John will soon be here," Jess suggested. "He must be very anxious about us."
"But he won't know where to find us."
"He will come to the island, anyway, and will search everywhere for us. Perhaps we shall be able to see him and call to him. Suppose we wait for a while. You cannot walk to the river."
"I can do more than you imagine," was the quiet reply. "But it is just as well to wait awhile. In the meantime we must get this poor boy under shelter. Let us carry him into the mine."
As carefully and tenderly as possible the two lifted the unconscious lad and bore him into the opening of the mine, where they laid him down upon the ground. With his head on her lap, Jess wiped away the moisture from the red swollen face. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she watched him, and noted how his hair had been burnt away, and his features distorted with pain.
"You poor boy!" she murmured. "You did it all for us, and we can do nothing for you now."
"We must do something," Mrs. Hampton declared. "I cannot wait here and let the boy die without making an effort to save his life. I can go to the other side of the lake, anyway, and be at the landing when anyone comes. John will surely be there soon. I hope nothing has happened to him."
At these words an expression of fear appeared in the girl's eyes as she turned them upon her mother's face.
"Perhaps he tried to reach us and was caught by the fire!" Her heart beat fast, and her face became very white.
"You need not worry, dear," Mrs. Hampton comforted. "John has common sense, and would not run any useless risk."
"But he would run any risk for us, I am certain," Jess declared. "He would not think of himself when he knew that we were in danger. He would go through anything for us."
"I know that, dear," and Mrs. Hampton looked lovingly into the girl's sparkling eyes. "But perhaps he did not know of the fire in time. Most likely he was very busy about the place, and had little idea that we were in danger. I shall go now, for there is no time to lose. You watch by the poor boy. I don't like to leave you alone, but there is nothing else to do. I could not think of sending you, for you would be sure to lose your way."
Hardly had Mrs. Hampton ceased speaking ere Jess pointed excitedly across to the island.
"Look, look!" she cried. "Somebody is over there. He's standing on the shore, though he doesn't see us. I believe it's John!"
Laying Eben's head gently upon the ground, she sprang to her feet, hurried down to the edge of the lake, and called across the water. As she did so, the man on the island started, hurried forward, and looked over to where the girl was standing.
"Are you both safe?" he shouted.
"Yes," Jess called back. "But we want help."
"All right, I'll be there in a minute."
The next instant he was into the lake, and headed straight for the island. Jess watched him with the keenest interest, her eyes aglow with admiration.
"Isn't he a great swimmer!" she exclaimed, as she turned to Mrs. Hampton, who was now standing by her side. "I know he would come, didn't you?"
"Yes, if he possibly could," was the reply. "I am so thankful he is here, for he will be able to help us get that poor boy home."
It took John but a few minutes to swim across that narrow portion of the lake, and when his feet at length touched bottom he waded ashore, the water running in streams from his body. But the women thought nothing of his personal appearance, so delighted were they to have him with them.
"Mother! Jess!" he panted. "How did you get here?"
In reply, Mrs. Hampton pointed to the partly-burned boat, and then turned toward the mine.
"Come," she simply said, "I want to show you something."
She led the way, with Jess and John following. The latter could not keep his eyes off the girl's face. He could hardly believe it possible that she was alive, and looking as beautiful as ever, although somewhat pale. He was like a man who had awakened from a horrible dream, and found that it was not true.
Mrs. Hampton stopped at the entrance of the mine and silently motioned to the prostrate boy.
"Why, it's Eben Tobin!" John almost shouted the words, so great was his surprise. "How in the world did he get here?"
"He came in the boat, and saved us just in the nick of time," Mrs. Hampton explained. "But for him we would not be here now."
"But what is wrong with him?"
"He is so terribly burned that he is unconscious. He leaped right through the fire at the landing, pushed off the boat, and came to our rescue. We were so excited that we did not know he was so badly burned until a short time ago. He never said a word to us about it. But we must get him home at once. How can we do it?"
John dropped upon his knees by Eben's side and examined his burns. He could tell at once how serious they were, and that something must be done immediately. And as he knelt there, the boy moaned and his body trembled. Then his eyes opened, his lips moved, and he muttered words which the anxious watchers could not understand.
"We must get him home before he recovers consciousness," John declared, springing to his feet. "He does not realise his sufferings in his present condition. But should he come to out here it will be fearful, for we can do nothing to relieve his pain."
He turned and looked toward the remains of the boat, and then off into the forest.
"You stay here out of the rain," he told the women. "I want to see what can be done. I must build a raft of some kind to take us across to the landing, as it is impossible to carry Eben around the lake."
"Oh, let me help you," Jess pleaded. "Make some use of me."
"But you will get soaked, and your clothes and hands dirty," John replied.
"That won't matter. I don't mind the rain, and I can wash my hands and clothes."
"Very well, then," John assented, much pleased at the true spirit of the one he loved, and also anxious to have her with him.
In a few minutes they were down by the lake examining the boat, to find out how much it had been damaged.
"It is not so badly burned as I thought," John remarked. "The bottom is all right, and the sides are only partly injured. If we can get several good-sized poles to place underneath, it should carry us all right. I guess we can find them over there," and he motioned to his left. "If I only had an axe it wouldn't take me long to make a raft that would hold a horse."
Together they made their way into the forest a short distance from the mine. The fire had left desolation on all sides in its onward sweep. Everything was black, and the tall trees stood gaunt and bare. The underbrush had been burnt, so without much difficulty John was enabled to find a number of sticks lying upon the ground, which he knew would serve his purpose. It did not take the two long to carry them back to the landing, and in a remarkably short time they were placed under the boat and securely fastened with willow withes, which served instead of a rope. When the work was finished, John stepped on the raft, pushed it from the shore, and tested it thoroughly.
"It is perfectly safe," he announced, "and will carry us all."
In a few minutes they were on board and out upon the lake, with Eben lying upon the bottom of the boat. John had found a long slim stick, and with this he poled. But when the water became too deep he paddled with one of the oars which had escaped the fire.
Little was said at first as they moved slowly forward toward the lower end of the island. Jess sat by Eben, with his head resting upon her lap, while Mrs. Hampton was seated near by. John was facing her, and at times their eyes met. Words were unnecessary to express their thoughts, for love has a silent language all its own, which lovers alone understand.
As they came near the lower end of the island, Jess pointed out the exact spot where she and Mrs. Hampton had taken refuge.
"It was on that big rock," she explained to John. "The fire was almost upon us when Eben arrived. We thought it was you at first, for we were expecting you, and wondering why you were so long in coming."
John made no immediate reply, but paddled steadily forward. He had said nothing about his experience on the plains, and he disliked to tell of it now. He was not sure how Jess might receive the news of her father's narrow escape and sad condition. He also knew that he would have to answer many questions, and would be forced to tell of his own part in the rescue, a thing which was adverse to his nature. But he would have to do so sooner or later, so it might as well be now as any time, he thought. Then, as briefly as possible, he explained the cause of his delay, and how he had hurried to the island as soon as the men had arrived from the river.
While John was speaking, Jess watched him intently, her heart beating rapidly, and her face very pale.
"What was daddy doing there?" she asked when he had finished.
"He was looking for you, so I gathered from what he said. He became lost, and sprained or broke his ankle as he wandered around. Then the fire came, and he was stumbling across the plains when I happened to see him."
John said nothing about the manner in which Randall had treated him, and made light of his wild ravings after the fire had subsided. Perhaps his distraction was only temporary, he reasoned, so it was just as well not to give the girl any unnecessary worry.
Jess sat for a while lost in thought, and John was relieved that she did not ask any more questions.
"Poor daddy!" she sighed. "I am sorry for him, but I hope this experience of his will teach him a lesson. He has been needing it for some time."
"Are you not afraid to go back to the river?" John asked. "Perhaps your father will be more angry than ever, and blame you for his trouble."
"I am not afraid now," was the low reply. "All that daddy can do or say will make little difference to me after what I have undergone to-day. I am going to him as soon as I can, and have this whole matter settled. I am sure he will not want me to marry Donaster now after the cowardly way he ran away and left us to our fate. But even if he does, it won't matter to me. Perhaps I was foolish to run away as I did. It might have been better if I had stayed at home, and asserted my rights. No one, not even my parents could have forced me to marry such a thing as that against my will. There will be no running away after this, I can tell you that. The matter will be settled once and for all as soon as I see daddy."
The decided tone of the girl's voice, and the look of determination in her eyes pleased the young man who was watching her. He liked what she said about Donaster, knowing that her censure was just. He knew what he would do with the coward should he ever catch him prowling around. He just longed for some pretext to get his hands upon the fellow.
As they drew near the landing, they saw a car come down to the shore and stop. Several men stepped out, who waved encouragingly to the voyagers. John recognised them at once as the ones who had come to his aid on the plains. He was very glad to see them, and thankful when at last the raft grounded upon the shore. Without any questions the men lifted Eben from the boat, and laid him gently in the auto.
"The women and you, John, can come with me," the driver announced. "There's another car outside for the rest of the men. We had a hard time getting through, so thought it best not to risk two cars."
In another minute they were on their way. Jess rode in the front seat, while Mrs. Hampton and John sat behind, and supported the still unconscious lad.