you take the same way out of this room by which you entered it."

"Oh! oh! Mr. Unknown, I am a first-rate boxer. But easy, man,
easy! For I should be the last person in the world to say an offensive
word about Francis. Now, since you know her, you ought to be aware
that she would never refuse to assist a person in distress out of a
sense of prudery. Just you ask her to come here to see--not Smithson,
because she does not know me under that name, but a relation of hers,
who calls himself Rudolf."

"And if she refuses to come?"

"Oh, you make too many difficulties. Ah! is it possible you are
her----I should have thought Francis Mordaunt more capable of
commanding a batalion than of bowing herself under the yoke of
marriage. But, after all, women do change their minds. Then you are
the happy mortal?"

"A truce to your suppositions," I answered him in a firm voice;
"I am here as a relation, a grand-nephew of the General's; my name
is Leopold van Zonshoven."

"Well, upon my word! Probably we are cousins, for I am also related to
the General. Francis will not refuse to come, I assure you--especially
if you tell her that I do not come to ask for money; on the contrary,
I bring some with me."

Hereupon he drew from his pocket a purse containing a number of clean,
new greenbacks.

"Tell her what you have seen; it will set her mind at ease, and
possibly yours also--for you seem as yet only half-and-half convinced
that I am not a highwayman."

I no longer hesitated; but took the precaution to lock my door on
the outside, lest he should follow me, and surprise Francis before
I had warned her. Having reached her room I knocked gently, and she
answered "Come in." It was the first time I had penetrated so far,
and I began in a serious tone--

"Something very singular has happened, my dear cousin----"

"It is not an accident you come to announce to me, I hope?" she
exclaimed.

"No, but a visit which will not prove agreeable, I am afraid."

"A visit at this time of the day! Who is it?"

"A person who says he is a relation of the family, and refuses to
give any name but that of Rudolf."

She knit her eyebrows.

"Good heavens! Unfortunate man! Here again!"

I explained to her how he had forced his way in at the window, and
offered to make him retrace his steps if she desired it.

"No, there must be no disturbance," she said, in a state of
agitation. "My grandfather must not even suspect he is here. I will
go with y