ion! Regret it? Not at all. It will
grow again--in time. To use your own figure, when the sailor is
struggling for life against the storm, he doesn't regret the treasure
that he has flung overboard so as to lighten the ship. And do you
think that I am so weak as to hesitate for a moment when your safety
as well as my own is concerned? For, you see, I have to remember that
while I am with you, you too are in danger. So, no hesitation is
possible. How could I have the heart to ask you to help me, if I
persisted in keeping up any kind of dress that might endanger both of
us?"

Brooke made no reply, but sat puffing out great clouds of smoke.
After some lapse of time he opened his mouth to speak.

"I wish you had heavier boots," said he.

"Yes," said Miss Talbot, "my boots are my weak point. But, you see, I
never anticipated a walk of twenty or thirty miles. However, my dress
is long, and perhaps my feet will not be noticed."

"Oh, it isn't the fear of their being noticed, but the danger that
they may give way altogether in our rough walk, and leave you
barefoot among the rocks."

"Well, if I find them giving way, I shall wrap rags around them
before they go to pieces altogether."

After a further silence Brooke spoke again.

"There's one thing more," said he, "that may be mentioned. We may
make good our escape to-night, as I hope, but then--we may not. To
provide against occurrences of all sorts, it's as well to adopt
certain fixed characters and act them out. You are a priest--remember
that; never forget it. You have that breviary, which you will do well
to look at from time to time. There's mighty good reading in that
breviary, though I'm sorry to say I never could find it; but no doubt
you'll do more justice to it than I did, especially if you understand
Latin, which I'm afraid you don't. But, you see, it won't do for me
to call you 'Miss Talbot.' We might be captured by fellows who
understand English, and they would at once take the hint. And so
suppose I drop the 'Miss,' and call you simply 'Talbot?'"

"That's a very good suggestion," said Miss Talbot. "The name will be
my own, and familiar, and better than any strange name or title which
you might invent. Oh yes, by all means drop the 'Miss.'"

"You will understand, of course," said Brooke, anxiously, "that in
this proposal there is no disrespect, no attempt at undue
familiarity, no--"

"Surely, surely," said Miss Talbot, earnestly, "it's hardly necessary