He was evidently anxious for silence, and Anne said no more. Hans
presently brought from some unknown quarter, a little stout pony
bridled and saddled; of course not with a side saddle, but cloaks
were arranged so as to make a fairly comfortable seat for Anne, and
Peregrine led the animal on the ascent to St. Catherine's Down. It
was light enough to dispense with the lanterns, and as they mounted
higher the glorious sight of daybreak over the sea showed itself--
almost due east, the sharp points of the Needles showing up in a
flood of pale golden light above and below, with gulls flashing
white as they floated into sunlight, all seeming to Anne's thankful
heart to be a new radiance of joy and hope after the dark roaring
terrors of the Chine.

As they came out into the open freedom of the down, with crisp
silvery grass under their feet, the breadth of sea on one side,
before them fertile fields and hills, and farther away, dimly seen
in gray mist, the familiar Portsdown outlines, not a sound to be
heard but the exulting ecstasies of larks, far, far above in the
depths of blue, Peregrine dared to speak above his breath, with a
question whether Anne were at ease in her extemporary side saddle,
producing at the same time a slice of bread and meat, and a flask of
wine.

"Oh, how kind! What care you take of me!" she said. "But where are
we going?"

"Wherever you command," he said. "I had thought of Carisbrooke.
Cutts is there, and it would be the speediest way."

"Would it not be the most dangerous for you?"

"I care very little for my life after this."

"Oh no, no, you must not say so. After what you are doing for me
you will be able to make it better than ever it has been. This is
what I thought. If you would bring me in some place whence I could
reach Sir Edmund Nutley's house at Parkhurst, his servants would
help me to do the rest, even if he be not there himself. I would
never betray you! You know I would not! And you would have full
time to get away to your place in Normandy with your friends."

"You care?" asked he.

"Of course I do!" exclaimed she. "Do I not feel grateful to you,
and like and honour you better than ever I could have thought?"

"You do?" in a strange choked tone.

"Of course I do. You are doing a noble, thankworthy thing. It is
not only that I thank you for _his_ sake, but it is a grand and
beautiful deed in itself; and if my dear mother know, she is
blessing you for it."