x with him, and Marriner paid him the high
compliment that a professional burglar could not have done the job
better. A week after, he gave him the key, and one night, after
everyone had gone to bed, Saurin stole down-stairs, out into the yard,
and tried it. It turned in the lock easily, the door opened without
noise, and he was free to go where he liked. Only there was no place so
good as bed to go to, so he closed and locked the door again, and went
back to his room, feeling very clever and a sort of hero. I am sure I
do not know why. No one was taken into his confidence but Edwards, and
he only because it was necessary to talk to somebody about his poaching
schemes, and to excite wonder and admiration at his inventive skill and
daring courage, and this Edwards was ready at all times to express. He
was never taken to Marriner's, but he still occasionally accompanied his
friend to the yard--on Sundays, usually, because of the card-playing, to
which he had taken a great fancy. He still thought in his heart that it
was very wrong, but Saurin laughed at such scruples as being so very
childish and silly that he was thoroughly ashamed of them. Saurin, who
was so clever and manly that he must know better than he did, saw no
harm. Besides, he was very fond of playing at cards, and though he did
not much like the very low company he met at Slam's yard now, he told
himself that what was fit for Saurin was fit for him, and it was
desirable, beneficial, and the correct thing to see life in all its
phases. His hero's defeat by Crawley had not diminished his devotion
one iota, for he attributed it entirely to Saurin having crippled his
left hand when he knocked his adversary down. Even then he believed
that Saurin would have won, only Crawley was in training, and the other
was not. Crawley was all very well, but he lacked that bold and heroic
defiance of authority which fascinated Edwards (himself the most
subordinate soul by nature, by the way). The idea of Crawley's daring
even to dream of going poaching, or breaking out at night, or having a
false key made! No, he was a good commonplace fellow enough, but Saurin
was something unusual,--which it is fervently to be hoped he was. Poor
Edwards, with his weak character, which made it necessary for him to
believe in someone and yield him homage; what a pity it was he had not
fixed on a different sort of hero to worship!

CHAPTER EIGHT.

ANOTHER PROJECT OF EVASION.