'I'm staying with the girl,' I told him.
'You're coming down the mine with us.' There was an implied threat in the quietness of his voice. 'Don't start any trouble up here,' he added, and glanced towards Kitty.
I had half a mind to defy him. But it wouldn't do any good. He'd got his gun. I could see the shape of it bulging in his pocket. 'All right,' I said. Then I turned to Kitty. 'Promise?' I asked her again.
She nodded slowly. 'I promise,' she said as though repeating something she'd been taught.
I left her then and went out with Manack. As he shut the door behind us, I saw her sitting just as she had been when I had come in, her eyes staring straight in front of her without seeing anything. I think it must have been then that I realised that I loved her. I know it suddenly seemed quite natural that I'd decided to take her with me when I left in the morning. And the sight of her suffering tore at me as though it were myself that was suffering.
Outside, I was surprised to see that the moon was still shining. It seemed such a long time back that Kitty and I had gone into the house.
We walked hurriedly and in silence, Manack beside me. Slim and Friar behind. We reached the mine buildings. They went into the store shed and got helmets and lamps and clothes. Then we went into the hoist. 'Suppose 'e's wanderin' aba't the cliffs?' Friar said. "E might be anywhere. Don't yer fink one of us better stay on top?'
'No,' Manack answered and we got into the gig. 'He's down the mine. It's the place he'd naturally go.' He flung the lever over and we began to descend. But he stopped at the store room gallery. 'This is where you get off, Pryce,' he said.
'You don't want me down the mine?' I said.
'No.' He stepped out beside me. 'I'm not taking any chances with you, my lad — not after what's happened. Dave!' he shouted. 'Dave! Where is that damned Welshman? Dave!'