at behind the portrait; or in one last one, in the room next to
their own. The searchers had been there early in the afternoon, but
perhaps had not found it; its entrance was behind the window shutter, and
was contrived in the thickness of the wall. So they talked, these two,
and conjectured and prayed, as the evening drew on; and the sun began to
sink behind the church, and the garden to lie in cool shadow.

About eight there was a tap at the door, and Hubert came in with a tray
of food in his hands, which he set down.

"All is in confusion," he said, "but this is the best I can do."--He
broke off.

"Mistress Isabel," he said, coming nearer to the two as they sat together
in the window-seat, "I can do little; they have found three hiding-holes;
but so far he has escaped. I do what I can to draw them off, but they are
too clever and zealous. If you can tell me more, perhaps I can do more."

The two were looking at him with startled eyes.

"Three?" Mary said.

"Yes, three--and indeed----" He stopped as Isabel got up and came towards
him.

"Hubert," she said resolutely, "I must tell you. He must be still in the
chimney of the little west parlour. Do what you can."

"The west parlour!" he said. "That was where Mistress Corbet was burning
the papers?"

"Yes," said Mary.

"He is not there," said Hubert; "we have sent a boy up and down it
already."

"Ah! dear God!" said Mary from the window-seat, "then he has escaped."

Isabel looked from one to the other and shook her head.

"It cannot be," she said. "The guards were all round the house before the
alarm rang."

Hubert nodded, and Mary's face fell.

"Then is there no way out?" he asked.

Mary sprang up with shining eyes.

"He has done it," she said, and threw her arms round Isabel and kissed
her.

"Well," said Hubert, "what can I do?"

"You must leave us," said Isabel; "come back later."

"Then when we have searched the garden-house--why, what is it?"

A look of such anguish had come into their faces that he stopped amazed.

"The garden-house!" cried Mary; "no, no, no!"

"No, no, Hubert, Hubert!" cried Isabel, "you must not go there."

"Why," he said, "it was I that proposed it; to draw them from the house."

There came from beneath the windows a sudden tramp of footsteps, and then
Nichol's voice, distinctly heard through the open panes.

"We cannot wait for him. Come, men."

"They are going without me," said Hubert; and turned and ran throug