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today?”
    â€œNo, I am on the ten fifty-five out of here. I cannot go back into that grave with only one open end.”
    â€œI wish I could convince you to stay.”
    â€œNo, I have been thinking about this since we got here. I have to go. I wish you and…the others all the best.”
    Raymond finished breakfast quietly and shook Daryl’s hand as he left for work. He said, “Thanks for going through the mountains with me. I will see you when I get to Wellspring.”
    Daryl offered a doubtful grin and said, “Good bye.”
    The miners finished the week on a status-quo basis. There were several rumors about what happened to Mr. Peters, but no official word. People who knew what happened were not talking, at least not publicly.
    On Monday, as Raymond reported to work, there was a note that directed him to go to the office to talk to Mr. Thomas. He recognized the writing on the note and beamed. As he headed toward the office, his joy turned into apprehension. They had probably decided they did not need his services any more. That would be fine. This was the week in which he planned to leave any way. He had not saved enough for train fare. How much would they pay him for the time he has already worked? Would he have to walk to Wellspring? If he had to walk down, did he have enough to buy supplies? “I wish we were paid in real money or actual value in silver rather than these stupid tokens. With this much time passing and the walk down, how would I find Stewart?”
    Upon entering the office, the clerk told him Mr. Thomas would be right with him. The door to Mr. Thomas’s office was standing open and as soon as he saw Raymond, he said, “Come on in.”
    Victoria was in the office and Mr. Thomas closed the door. ‘Raymond, we have been noticing your performance.”
    â€œI can explain. It was an emergency. I acted out of instinct. I can learn more.”
    As he defended himself, Raymond began to realize that he really wanted to continue working in the mines. At least, if he was leaving, he wanted it to be his choice, not somebody else’s.
    â€œOh, you misunderstood,” laughed Mr. Thomas. “Mr. Peters is no longer with the company. We thought we might train you to work in the position of foreman.”
    â€œThank you for the compliment, but I am not really qualified.”
    â€œOh, don’t be modest. You have worked all your life in a family operation. That is what we want you to do for us. Help us run our family mines. Like I said, we will give you all the training and support you need.”
    â€œBut, there is so much to learn. I don’t know if they will accept me.”
    Victoria responded, with almost mechanical repetition of a phrase she had heard her father repeat, “With no risk, there is no courage. Without adversity there are no heroes.”
    Then she brightened, almost as if she had a sudden revelation, “Besides, I hear you acted heroically, during the aftermath of the cave-in.”
    These words from anybody else would have seemed cliché. Raymond knew he had only acted logically and found something that would speed the rescue. From Victoria the words shot straight into Raymond’s heart, overriding any logic or defense he had considered. The words acted as a magic elixir, bolstering any real courage he lacked.
    Victoria, below the conscious level, in the deepest recesses of her mind, might have been subconsciously seeking a new hero.

Chapter Six

THE ESSENCE
    M ichael appeared to be enjoying his time of recovery. Stewart’s cooking was improving and he was able to keep ahead of the food supply and the daily tasks necessary for survival. There was collecting water from the stream, splitting and stacking wood, tending the fire, cooking and cleaning. Michael was beginning to get rested so he was awake more hours a day than Stewart. The time they both cherished most was when all the activities were completed and they had