adventure Felix thought it advisable not to let himself be
seen again before the night time. Only when all slept did he repair to
the gable rooms, and after having scientifically removed four rows of
tiles and smoothed the rafters with his planes, he placed with great
trouble but in a thoroughly secure position a ladder, by means of which
the poor child could ascend and descend through the opened windows.
After he had made for himself a safe position on the roof by removing
more tiles, he noiselessly bored holes in the round wall of the tower
and inserted hooks to enable him to reach the window which lay some
twelve feet above his head. The insertion of the upper iron, which he
was obliged to accomplish standing on his rope ladder was not without
danger. The wind came howling and whistling round the tower and
hindered his work though at the same time it drowned the noise of the
hammering. He managed to insert the last hook and the rest was easy
work, for he could now fasten the end of his rope to the bars of the
window and did not require to entrust Lydia's precious life to the
insecure iron, up which he himself had climbed. After he had knotted
the rope, he passed his arms around the bars and trembling with
excitement tapped at Erastus' window with his wearied hand. He was
about to tap a second time when the window was opened from within. "Is
it you, Erastus?" asked Felix in a low tone. "Yes," was the answer
spoken equally low. "Is Lydia with you?"

"She sleeps."

"Take these steel saws and this bottle of corrosive acid, and cut
through the bars on this side. But not here, as here hangs my ladder.
The opening thus made will be large enough to let you and Lydia pass
through."

Saws and bottle quickly disappeared within the room. "In the mean time
I shall go down, in order to loosen the end of the ladder, so that you
can draw it up higher and fasten it tighter. But by the eyes of the
Madonna be careful, one false step precipitates you into the yard
below. Only awake Lydia when you are ready, it is not necessary to
protract the exciting moments for her."

Even whilst descending Felix heard a strong hand beginning to cut
through the iron. He therefore hurried back to the garret, measured
carefully the whole of the way over which he must lead father and
daughter; and moreover lit some lights which he had brought with him to
show the path more distinctly. Then he returned to the gable from
whence he could hear Erastus w