n me freely those gems that the thieves had coveted;
they are worth a little fortune. After this my only care was to find a
ship to bring me home; of which I was almost in despair, when the good
Maret came to my rescue, which he effected with great skill and
boldness. Nor do I know how I could have got you clear of London, but
for his readiness to help me once again.'

This was Harry's history, which he made very dry and short; for he hates
to dwell on his own doings or sufferings. I have got from him since many
particulars of the story, and I think it were more worthy of pen and
ink than this poor tale of our homely joys and sorrows, but he thinks
not so; and it is at his bidding I have written all this last part,
telling how he brought us safely out of London.

CONCLUSION.

HOW LUCIA DWELLS IN ENGLAND, AND ALTHEA OTHERWHERE.

There is little more to write now. I did not care to cross Harry's wish
in the matter of our wedding, to which both the good Mary Giles and
Althea herself urged me to consent; only I had always hoped that my
father Truelocke himself should join our hands; and when I whispered
this to Harry, he said, 'If you cannot be content without it,
sweetheart, my father shall marry us over again when we get to
Dent-dale. But I will not go back to England till I can call you wife.'

So my last defence fell; and wedded we were on board the _Diamond_, a
good English ship that we found lying at Calais, according to Harry's
intelligence. I did not forget that promise of his, and in due time I
held him to it; but before I wind up mine own story I will relate that
of my sister; for our lives, that have run so long in one channel, are
divided now, since Althea sailed not with us to England; and I will show
the reason presently.

That imagination which Harry had once entertained of Andrew's passing
into Holland and being safe there as an exile proved to be no impossible
device, in spite of the war between the English and the Dutch. For while
we still lay at Calais in the _Marie-Royale_ (I must ever admire her
captain's courage in taking us poor fugitives on board, even though
Harry was warrant for our soundness), there came letters from certain
Friends called Derricks, of the Dutch nation. They had heard of Andrew's
strange escape from prison, I wot not by what means; for the Friends
have their own ways of learning news of one another. These good people
willed him to go make his home under their roof in