placed them, his weapons, cavalier hat, and heavy horseman's boots
in the wood where he had secured his horse. Hence he was absolutely
defenceless.

He thought of this as he for a moment dwelt upon the possibility of
slaying this man as he slept, and so escaping.

But he indignantly thrust from him the treacherous thought, and trusting
to the possibility of getting away when his enemy should be sound
asleep, he gradually let the curtain fall to his feet.

In the silence of that room the noise made as the thick material rustled
down, seemed to Scarlett to be enough to awaken the sleeper, but he did
not stir; and after wailing a few minutes, which seemed like an hour,
the young Royalist began to move gently from his hiding-place.

The distance he had to traverse was very short, but there was a great
difficulty awaiting him--the removal of the table and the other object
placed against the door. But the sleeper was sound enough now, and
Scarlett's hopes began to rise as, with outstretched hands, he softly
touched the stand upon which lay the sword, and then his heart's
pulsations seemed to stop, for he kicked against one of the heavy
jack-boots in the darkness, and the great stiff leather foot and leg
covering fell over with what seemed quite a loud noise, while to his
horror Scarlett learned that the door between the rooms was open, so
plainly sounded the other officer's voice.

"Anything the matter?" he said; and there was the rustling sound of one
rising upon his elbow.

It was the saving instinct of the moment, and it had its intended
effect, the boldness of the conception carrying all before it. For, as
the officer in his sister's room asked that question, Scarlett covered
his face with his hand, and uttered a deep yawn, like that of a
half-sleeping man.

For a moment or two he dreaded lest he had betrayed himself, but to his
intense delight, as he stood with every sense on the strain, he heard
the questioner subside in his place, and Scarlett, with a quick
appreciation of his difficulties, seized the opportunity of the man's
movement to cover the sound he made as he glided quickly across the room
to the door, laid his hand upon the table, and recognised it by the
touch as the one which generally stood in the great embayment of the
window.

But, just as he touched the heavy carved side, he broke out into a cold
perspiration, for there came in a sharp, short, imperious tone--

"Halt!"

"He was not aslee