Averil whispered.

"They are under my protection," said Carlyon quietly. "I want you to
start at once--before we shut the gates."

"Have they taken you by surprise, then?" she asked, with a sharp,
involuntary shiver.

"No," Carlyon said. "They have taken the Government by surprise. That's
all." He spoke with strong bitterness. For he was the watchman who had
awaked in vain.

A moment later he was drawing her with him along the shadowy path.

"You need have no fear," he whispered to her. "The road is open all the
way. I have a horse waiting that will carry you safely. It is barely ten
miles. You have done it before."

"Am I to go just as I am?" she asked him, carried away by his
unfaltering resolution.

"Yes," said Carlyon, "except for this." He loosened the _chuddah_ from
his own head and stooped to muffle it about hers. "I have provided for
your going," he said. "You will see no one. You know the way. Go hard!"

He moved on again. His arm was round her shoulders.

"And you?" she said, with sudden misgiving.

"I shall go back to the camp," he said, "when I have seen you go."

They went a little farther, ghostly, white figures gliding side by
side. Wildly as her heart was beating, Averil felt that it was all
strangely unreal, felt that the man beside her was a being unknown and
mysterious, almost supernatural. And yet, strangely, she did not fear
him. As she had once said to him, she believed he was a good man. She
would always believe it. And yet was that awful doubt hammering through
her brain.

They reached the bounds of the club compound and Carlyon stopped again.
From the building behind them there floated the notes of a waltz, weird,
dream-like, sweet as the earth after rain in summer.

"I want to know," Carlyon said steadily, "if you trust me."

She stretched up her hands like a child and laid them against his
breast. She answered him with piteous entreaty in which passion
strangely mingled.

"Colonel Carlyon," she whispered brokenly, "promise me that when this is
over you will give it up! You were not made to spy and betray! You were
made an honourable, true-hearted man--God's greatest and best creation.
You were never meant to be twisted and warped to an evil use. Ah, tell
me you will give it up! How can I go away and leave you toiling in the
dungeons?"

"Hush!" said Carlyon. "You do not understand."

Later, she remembered with what tenderness he gathered her hands again
into his own, hold