oebe.
Strain her ears as she might, naught could she hear but the shake of a
bridle, the stamp of an occasional hoof, and the cropping of grass. The
next few seconds seemed an hour of miserable uncertainty and suspense.
She knew now that she was watched, that perhaps her plans were fully
known, and all hope for her lover seemed past. She had called him hither
and he would walk alone and unaided into the arms of these three
mercenaries.

She clasped her hands and looked desperately about her as though for
inspiration. To the right an open sward led the eye to the out-buildings
surrounding the inn. To the left a dense thicket of trees and bushes
shut in the view.

Suddenly she started violently. Her ear had caught the snapping of a
twig close at hand, beyond the concealing wall. At the next moment she
saw a stealthy hand slip past the opening by which she had entered, and
the top of a man's hat appeared.

Like a rabbit that runs to cover, she turned noiselessly and dashed into
the friendly thicket. Here she stopped with her hand on her heart and
glanced wildly about her. Well she knew that her concealment here could
be but momentary. Where next could she find shelter?

A heap of refuse, stones and dirt, leaves and sticks, was heaped against
that portion of the wall, and at sight of this a desperate plan crossed
her mind.

"'Tis that or nothing!" she whispered, and, still under cover of the
shrubbery, she hurried toward the rubbish heap.

In the meantime, Jack, whose quick eye had descried that ancient opening
in the wall, perceived by neither of his companions, was standing just
within the wall gazing about for some clue to his prey's location.

Phoebe leaped upon the refuse heap and scrambled to the top. To her
dismay, there was a great crashing of dead wood as she sank nearly to
her knees in the accumulated rubbish.

Jack uttered a loud exclamation of triumph and leaped toward the
thicket. Poor Phoebe heard his cry, and for an instant all seemed
hopeless. But hers was a brave young soul, and, far from fainting in her
despair, a new vigor possessed her.

Grasping the limb of a tree beside her, she drew herself up until, with
one foot she found a firm rest on the top of the wall. Then, forgetting
her tender hands and limbs, straining, gripping, and scrambling, she
knew not how, she flung herself over the wall and fell in a bruised and
ragged heap on the grass beyond.

When her pursuer reached the thicket, he