A letter, he gathered, had been received from her, and one of the miners was about to leave on a long journey.
Merton could not be sure, but he supposed that the letter from the little girl told that she was unhappy in her new surroundings, perhaps being ill-treated by the supercilious Eastern relatives.

The miner who was to remain helped the other to pack his belongings in a quaint old carpet sack, and together they undid a bundle which proved to contain a splendid new suit.

Not only this, but now came a scene of eloquent appeal to the watcher outside the door.

The miner who was to remain expressed stern disapproval of the departing miner's beard.

It would never do, he was seen to intimate, and when the other miner portrayed helplessness a new package was unwrapped and a safety razor revealed to his shocked gaze.
At this sight Merton Gill felt himself growing too emotional for a mere careless bystander, and withdrew to a distance where he could regain better control of himself.