the frontier in about nine hours. There were no telegraph wires
in that region in those days, and I pointed out that with a start of
a single hour escape was probable. I laid stress on the value of the
sympathetic attendant, and she hung with clasped hands and suspended
breath on every word I spoke.

"You have thought of all this already?" she asked, when I had said all I
then had to say.

"I have thought of little else," I answered. "But now I must tell you
that all this will cost money."

"We can see to that," said Lady Rollinson, who was almost as interested
as her niece. She showed it another way; for while Miss Rossano had
listened without a word, the old lady had been full of starts and
ejaculations.

"I must be able to tell the man on whose aid I shall have to rely that
the relatives of the count are wealthy, and that they will reward him
handsomely. I may even have to promise him an independence for life."

"You may promise him anything it is in my power to give him," cried Miss
Rossano. "If I could secure my father's liberty I would surrender every
penny I have in the world."

"The man is a common soldier," I responded. "He has his rations and
his clothes, and a few copper coins a day to find him a little beer
and tobacco. To such a man a pension of a pound a week would look like
Paradise. Much depends on his condition. If he is a single man, I may
secure him. If he is married and has a family, I shall find greater
difficulties in the way. The great thing is not to hope too much. I will
try, if you will allow me, and I will leave no stone unturned."

"Captain Fyffe, how shall I thank you?" cried Miss Rossano.

"I shall be repaid, madame," I answered, "if I succeed." She did not
understand me then, but I told her afterwards what my meaning had been.
I told her that I should have earned the right, if I brought her father
back with me, to tell her I had earned the right to say that I knew no
such pride as to live or die in her service. And that was simply true,
though I had as yet met her but twice. I think that love at first sight
must be a commoner thing than many people imagine. If it was so real
with a sober-sided, hard-headed fellow like myself, who had spent all
the years of his manhood in rough-and-tumble warfare, what must it be
with romantic and high-strung people who are more naturally prone to it.

"You will run great risks, Captain Fyffe," said her ladyship.

"It has been the habit of my li