without suspicion or distrust from any
quarter. At two o'clock the last sentinels were relieved, and the form
had been gone through of inspecting the prisoner's chamber. To all
outward show, Butler was asleep: the door was again shut, and all was
still. The time for action now arrived. Butler rose silently from his
bed, dressed himself, and, putting his shoes into his pockets, stole in
his stockinged feet to the little gable window at the further end of his
apartment. Here he remained, gazing out upon the night with fixed
attention. The moon had set, and the sky was overcast with clouds,
adding a fortunate obscurity to the natural darkness of the hour. By
still greater good luck, after a few moments the wind began to rise and
rain to descend. Everything seemed to favor the enterprise. The shadowy
form of the sentinel, who was stationed on this side of the house, was
dimly discerned by Butler through the gloom; and it was with joyful
satisfaction that he could perceive the soldier, as the rain fell in
larger drops, retreat some distance from his post and take shelter
beneath the shrubbery that grew in the garden. At the same moment a
flash upon the hill, which might have been mistaken for summer
lightning, announced to him that his faithful comrade was at hand.
Desirous to take advantage of the present neglect of the sentinel, and
to avoid the possibility of bringing him into conflict with Ramsay,
Butler hastily showed his candle at the window, then extinguished it,
and throwing himself out upon the roof, scrambled towards the nearest
point of the impending branches of the oak. Here, without a moment's
pause, he made a fearless leap that flung him amongst the boughs. The
darkness prevented him from choosing the most favorable lodgment in the
tree, and he fell across a heavy limb with such force as to take away
his breath--receiving at the same time, a severe contusion in the head.
For a brief space he hung almost senseless, and there was reason to
apprehend that he would fall in a swoon to the ground; but the occasion
braced his sinking strength, and before many minutes he revived
sufficiently to make his way to the trunk, by which he descended safely
to the earth. He now threw himself on his hands and feet, and crept to
the garden fence. The rain still increased, and fell in a heavy shower.
In another instant he surmounted the barrier, and betook himself with
his utmost speed towards the mill, behind which he sought conce