ith steady
stolid business-like stare. She must play her part to the end carefully
and boldly.

"I've only this moment just to say good-bye, Boy," she faltered. "I
promised not to stay long." Slowly her arms stole round his neck, and
the blood rushed to his face in scarlet waves.

"Love has made death glorious, dearest," he breathed tenderly. "God
bless you for coming, for all you have done for me, and for all this
holy hour means to my soul--you understand."

The tears were streaming down her cheeks now. The plan might fail after
all--the gallows was there in the jail yard lifting its stark arms in
the lowering sky. She pressed his hands hysterically:

"Yes, yes, I understand."

She turned and hurried to the guard:

"Take me out quickly. I'm going to faint. I can't endure it."

The guard caught her arm, supporting her as she made her way to the
street.

In fifteen minutes she had returned to the dressmaker's and from there
called another carriage and went home.

The guard had no sooner turned his back than Ned Vaughan quickly opened
and read the precious message which gave the plan of escape.

When the sentinel on his corridor was changed at midnight the blond,
blue-eyed boy would be his friend and explain.

When he found the rope ladder concealed on the roof it was raining. He
fastened it carefully in the shadow of an offset in the outer wall and
waited for the appearance of the guard. As he passed the gas lamp post
and the flickering light fell on his face he studied it with care. He
was stupid and allowed the rain to dash straight into his fat face. It
should be easy to reach the shadows by a quick leap when he turned
against the rain and reached the length of his beat.

He calculated to a second the time required to make the descent, threw
himself swiftly to the end of his rope and dropped to the pavement.

In his eagerness to strike the ground on the run, his foot slipped and
he fell. The guard heard and ran back, blinking his stupid eyes through
the rain. He found a young sport who had lost his way in the storm.

"I shay, partner," the fallen drunk blubbered. "What'ell's the matter
here? Ain't this Joe Hall's place?"

"Not by a dam sight."

"Ah, g'long with yer, f-foolishness--man--and open the door--I'm an old
customer--I ain't no secret service man--I'm all right--open her up----"

"Here, here, get up an' move on now, I can't fool with you," the guard
growled good-naturedly. He lifted Ned t