The door of the cabin was hastily shoved inward and Captain Dawson, his face as white as death, strode in.
“Have you seen anything of Nellie?” he asked in a husky whisper.
“No; what’s the matter?” asked the startled miners.
“She has gone! she has left me!” gasped the father dropping into the only remaining chair, the picture of despair and unutterable woe.
“Why do you think that?” asked the parson, sympathetically.
“Lieutenant Russell has gone too! They have fled together!”