fts in the clouds began to grow br

e town and the milestone before the sky darkened again. Objects by the wayside grew shadowy and dim. A few drops of rain began to fall. The milestone, as she kne

ight not have passed the milestone

in the clouds. She waited. Low and faint, the sinking moonlight looked its last at the dull earth. In f

rching a ditch that had run dry, formed a bridge leading from the road to the field. Had the field been already chosen as a place of concealment by the police? Nothing was to be s

sented itself to her mind, which I

en country, or by way of the field and the culvert. How could she so place herself as to be sure of warning him, before he fell into th

wasted precious time in trying to arrive at the right decision. A woman,

his appointment, he would hear voices and movements, as a necessary consequence of the arrest, in time to make his escape. Supposing him on the other hand

e field, which looked like a darker shadow, became dimly visible. In another moment it seemed to b

e said, in tones

she answered

for the password. Erroneously judging of her, on his side, as a man, he drew back again. Sir Giles Mountjoy was above the middle heigh

ion of her happiness at having saved him, would have overpowered her discretion, but for a sound that was audible on

per to him: “Sir Giles has

u, whoeve

a hiding-place under the arch, if she could only get down into the dry ditch in time. She was feeling her way to the

The man who had got her blew a w

said; “and let’s se

prisoner’s face. Amazement petrified the two attendant policemen. The

nancial Holofernes who kept a bank? What account had she to give of herself? How came she to be alone in a desolate field on a rainy night? Instea

elicate wrists by the lantern-light, he put his fetters back in his poc

a constitutional partiality for women, which exhibited the merciful side of justice when a criminal wore a petticoat. “We will tak

he town. They heard her sigh: and, once, the sigh sounded more like a sob;

been the saving of Lord Harry. This accomplished, the free e

equally treacherous and merciless) by which Sir Giles had provided for his own safety, had delayed — perhaps actually prevented — the execution of Lord Harry’s humane design. It was possible, horribly possible, t

ivate room at the office — and there he was, with

m alone, to make his report. He left th

our prisoner?”

your h

ch securely

ardon, sir, i

rgeant; it ca

that it was not a boy.

at!

icer repeated —“and a youn

g her

who waits to be brought in. Sh