cordial, of which a decanter stood with other liquors upon a sideboard,
as usual in such places. He returned it to his pocket, and listened
again. Then he assured himself that he had all he needed--the bottle,
money, his cloak, and a short, broad knife which he always took with him
on his walks, more for the sake of cutting a loaf of bread if he stopped
for refreshment than for any other purpose. His passport he had taken
with his few other valuable papers from the box.

He left the lamp on the table, and unlocked the street door, though he
did not pull it open. Brave as he was, his heart beat fast, for it was
the first decisive moment. If Sora Nanna should come home within the
next sixty seconds, there would be trouble. But there was no sound.

In the dark he went back to the door of the staircase, unlocked it, and
opened it wide, looking out. The heavy clouds had so darkened the
moonlight that he could hardly see. But the street was quiet, for it was
late, and there were no watchmen in Subiaco at that time. A moment
later, the door was closed behind him, and he was disappearing round the
dark corner with Annetta's body in his arms, all wrapped with himself in
his great cloak.

It was a long and terrible climb. A weaker man would have fainted or
given it up long before Dalrymple set his foot firmly upon the narrow
beaten path which ran along between the garden wall at the back of the
convent, and the precipitous descent on his left. The sweat ran down
over his hard, pale face in the dark, as he shook off his cloak and laid
down his ghastly burden under the deep shadow of the low postern. He
shook his big shoulders and wiped his brow, and stretched out his long
arms, doubling them and stretching them again, for they were benumbed
and asleep with the protracted effort. But so far it was done, and no
one had met him. There had been little chance of that, but he was glad,
all the same. And if, down at the house, any one went to his room,
nothing would be found. He had the key of the little laboratory in his
pocket. It would be long before they broke down the door and found
Annetta's skirt and bodice and shoes wrapped together in a corner.

He went on up the ascent five minutes further, walking as though on air
now that he carried no weight in his arms. At the top of the mule path
the lad was already waiting for him with the mule. He told the little
fellow that he might have to wait half an hour longer, as he must go
int