y I saw there
was no help for me, and gave the signal, for I was walled in.
Well, I am not going to tell the story of my capture. My sabre
could serve me well, but, heavens! it was no magic wand such as one
may read of in the story-books. I knew then it would serve me best
in the scabbard. There were few words and no fighting in the
ceremony. I gave up, and let them bind my arms. In two hours they
had me in jail, I knew not where. In the morning they let me send
a note to Lord Ronley, who was now barely two days out of his own
trouble. A week passed; I was to be tried for a spy, and saw
clearly the end of it all. Suddenly, a morning when my hopes were
gone, I heard the voice of his Lordship in the little corridor. A
keeper came with him to the door of my cell, and opened it.

"The doctor," said he.

"Well, well, old fellow," said Ronley, clapping me on the shoulder,
"you are ill, I hear."

"Really, I do not wish to alarm you," I said, smiling, "but--but it
does look serious."

He asked me to show my tongue, and I did so.

"Cheer up," said he, presently; "I have brought you this pill. It
is an excellent remedy."

He had taken from his pocket a brown pill of the size of a large
pea, and sat rolling it in his palm. Had he brought me poison?

"I suppose it is better than--"

He shot a glance at me as if to command silence, then he put the
pill in my palm. I saw it was of brown tissue rolled tightly.

"Don't take it now," said he; "too soon after breakfast. Wait half
an hour. A cup of water," he added, turning to the guard, who left
us for a moment.

He leaned to my ear and whispered:--

"Remember," said he, "2 is _a_, and 3 is _b_, and so on. Be
careful until the guard changes."

He handed me a small watch as he was leaving.

"It may be good company," he remarked.

I unrolled the tissue as soon as I was alone. It was covered with
these figures:--

21-24-6-13-23-6

21-16-15-10-8-9-21 4-6-13-13 5-16-16-19
22-15-13-16-4-12-6-5 13-10-7-21 20-14-2-13-13
24-10-15-5-16-24 10-15 4-16-19-19-10-5-16-19 3-2-4-12
21-16 24-2-13-13 8-16 19-10-8-9-21 21-16 19-16-2-5
13-6-7-21 200 17-2-4-6-20 21-16 17-2-21-9 13-6-7-21
21-16 19-10-23-6-19 19-10-8-9-21 21-24-6-15-21-26
21-16 21-9-10-4-12-6-21.

I made out the reading, shortly, as follows:--

"Twelve to-night cell door unlocked. Lift
small window in corridor. Back to wall go
right to road. Left two hundred paces to path.