the man had lived so long.

The wretched man had never been allowed a minute's exercise outside
his cell, and Brunow's pretence of having seen him was, of course, an
invention. That did not surprise me, but I hated Brunow for it. The
man's shallow and worthless spirit could go hovering about a tragedy
like this with his butterfly irresponsible lies. The thought made me
angry.

"Hinge," I said, when the groom had told me all he had to say, "I am
going to trust you with a secret. I think you are the man to keep it. I
am going to ask you to help me in a difficult and dangerous bit of
work. I think you are the man for the job. If we succeed, I am going to
pension you handsomely for life."

"Thank you, sir," said Hinge.

"Walk quietly with me and listen. I am going to have a try to set that
man free. You hear?"

"Yes, sir."

"And I am going to ask you to help me."

"Yes, sir."

"Will you do it?"

"If I can, sir."

"Very good. Now when can we talk this matter over and get it ship-shape,
and see what is to be done?"

"My time's my own, sir," Hinge answered; "and being mine, sir, it's
yours."

I turned into the deeper recesses of the wood, and Hinge followed me.
I had resolved to trust him, and I have never been a believer in
half-confidences. I told him the errand which had brought me there. I
told him of the countess's early death, and I told him of my meeting
with her daughter and of the promise I had made to her. I set before him
the fact that, if the venture succeeded and he gave me his aid in it,
he would find wealthy friends and protectors. I told him that I was
not myself a _rich_ man, but I showed him Miss Rossano's letter and the
draft I had for a thousand pounds.

"Better send that money out of the country, sir," he said, quietly.
"They're queer beggars, these Austrians, and they wouldn't be above
collaring the lot if we got clear of the country with our man afore
you'd got the coin out o' the bank."

"And now, how to set about the work, Hinge?"

"You give your orders, sir, and leave 'em to me."

"Tell me what you can. Now, how about the guards? Is the prisoner's cell
watched on all sides?"

"There's a man on stable sentry at night-time. In the day-time nobody's
on watch on my side."

I had provided myself with a flexible-jointed saw and a small bottle of
oil, and they were packed in my knapsack now. I asked Hinge if he would
pass these to the prisoner, and he declared that he could do it ea