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His appetite was wolfish. She could see that he was spent, so

weak with hunger that he had reeled against the wall as she

handed him the dinner-pail. Pallor was on the sunken face, and

exhaustion in the trembling hands and unsteady gait.

"I'm about all in, what with hunger and all I been through. I

thought I was out of my head when I heard you holler." He

snatched up the candle from the place where he had set it and

searched her face by its flame. "How come you down here? You

didn't come alone. What you doin' here?" he demanded

suspiciously.

"I came down with Mr. Dunke and a friend to look over his mine. I

had never been in one before."

"Dunke!" A spasm of rage swept the man's face. "You're a friend

of his, are you? Where is he? If you came with him how come you

to be roaming around alone?"

"I got lost. Then my light went out."