Burton, Miss Phoebe!" she murmured.

She had recollected her precious box of letters. Of these there was one
which made it entirely clear that Mary Burton and her lover were
destined to escape this peril; for it was written from him to her after
their flight from England. All her fears fell away, and she was left
free to taste the sweetness of the new revelation without the bitterness
in which that revelation had had its source.

Very dear to Phoebe in after life was the memory of the few moments
which followed. With her mind free from every apprehension, she leaned
her shoulder to the wall and turned her inward sight in charmed
contemplation upon the new treasure her heart had found.

How small, how trifling appeared what she had until then called her
love! Her new-found depth and height of tender devotion even frightened
her a little, and she forced a little laugh to avert the tears.

Through the open door her eyes registered in memory the casual movements
without, while her consciousness was occupied only with her soul's
experience. But soon this period of blissful inaction was sharply
terminated. Her still watching eyes brought her a message so incongruous
with her immediate surroundings as to shake her out of her waking dream.
She became suddenly conscious of a nineteenth-century intruder amid her
almost medieval surroundings.

All attention now, she sat quickly upright and looked out again.
Yes--there could be no mistake--Copernicus Droop had passed the door and
was approaching the principal entrance of the inn on the other side of
the courtyard.

Phoebe ran quickly to the door and, protecting her eyes with one hand
from the flood of brilliant sunlight, she called eagerly after the
retreating figure.

"Mr. Droop--Mr. Droop!"

The figure turned just as Phoebe became conscious of a small crowd of
street loafers who had thronged curiously about the courtyard entrance,
staring at the new-comer's outlandish garb. She saw the grinning faces
turn toward her at sound of her voice, and she shrank back into the
hallway to evade their gaze.

The man to whom she had called re-crossed the courtyard with eager
steps. There was something strange in his gait and carriage, but the
strong sunlight behind him made his image indistinct, and besides,
Phoebe was accustomed to eccentricities on the part of this somewhat
disreputable acquaintance.

Her astonishment was therefore complete when, on removing his hat as he
ente