hich the bower had been built. I threw my rope-ladder on the wall, and
climbed sufficiently high to have a view of the garden. Nothing rewarded
my efforts, however, for I could neither see nor hear anything worthy of
attention.

I was about to get down again, when I heard the neigh of a horse,
followed by a man's angry exclamation. I had scarcely time to consider
what this meant, when I heard a woman's cry.

With one leap I descended from the ladder, and then, instinctively
freeing it from the masonry and stuffing it in my pocket, I ran toward
the spot from whence the sound came. I reached the front of the old
mansion, but could see nothing; then, like one demented, I ran to the
entrance which I had noticed through the day, and which evidently was
seldom used. Here I saw flickering lights, and here, also, I heard the
voice of the priest to whom I had spoken on the previous evening.

"Neatly and safely done," he said. "The fellow is evidently a blockhead
after all. I was afraid that the neigh of the horse would give us
trouble."

Excited beyond measure, I was about to cry out when I heard the sound of
horses' hoofs splashing in water, followed by a rumbling noise.

"They are crossing the brook!" I cried, and then, scarcely realising
what I did, I hurried thitherward.

Now, Mawgan Church and Lanherne Manor House, as every one knows who has
visited that part of Cornwall, are situated in a fine wooded glen. On
every hand are hills, so that no one can get away from the spot without
hard climbing. It is true that one of the roads which runs northwest is
less steep than the rest, but even that is difficult of ascent,
especially for carriages. I comforted myself with this as I ran eagerly
on. A few seconds later I saw the dark outline of what looked like an
old family chariot. I did not consider the number of men that might be
accompanying the conveyance, neither did I remember that they would
probably be armed, while I had no weapon of any sort save my own strong
arms.

The driver was urging the horses greatly, but, as I said, the hill was
steep and the carriage was heavy. I came up to the carriage-door, and,
listening, I heard the sobbing of a woman's voice and the stern tones of
men. I was about to try and force open the carriage-door, but
instinctively felt that even if I could do so, it would be useless while
the carriage was in motion, for in spite of the hill the horses had been
urged into a frantic gallop. Still