Anthony, dear lad."

Still there was no answer. Then he lifted the lid, and managed to hold
the woodwork below, as he knelt on the third step, so that it descended
noiselessly. He put out his other hand and felt the boards. Anthony had
retired into the passage then, he told himself, as he found the space
empty. He climbed into the hole, pushed himself along and counted the
bricks--the fourth of the fourth--pressed it, and pushed at the door; and
it was fast.

For the first time a horrible spasm of terror seized him. Had he
forgotten? or was it all a mistake, and Anthony not there? He turned in
his place, put his shoulders against the door and his feet against the
woodwork of the stairs, and pushed steadily; there were one or two loud
creaks, and the door began to yield. Then he knew Anthony was there; a
rush of relief came into his heart--and he turned and whispered again.

"Anthony, dear lad, Anthony, open quickly; it is I."

The brickwork slid back and a hand touched his face out of the pitch
darkness of the tunnel.

"Who is it? Is it you?" came a whisper.

"It is I, yes. Thank God you are here. I feared----"

"How could I tell?" came the whisper again. "But what is the news? Are
you escaped?"

"No, I am a prisoner, and on parole. But there is no time for that. You
must escape--we have a plan--but there is not much time."

"Why should I not remain here?"

"They will search to-morrow--and--and this end of the tunnel is not so
well concealed as the other. They would find you. They suspect you are
here, and there are guards round this place."

There was a movement in the dark.

"Then why think----" began the whisper.

"No, no, we have a plan. Mary and Isabel approve. Listen carefully. There
is but one guard at the back here, in the lane. Mary has leave to come
and go now as she pleases--they are afraid of her; she will leave the
house in a few minutes now to ride to East Maskells, with two grooms and
a maid behind one of them. She will ride her own horse. When she has
passed the inn she will bid the groom who has the maid to wait for her,
while she rides down the lane with the other, Robert, to speak to me
through the window. The pursuivant, we suppose, will not forbid that, as
he knows they have supped with me just now. As we talk, Robert will watch
his chance and spring on the pursuivant. As soon as the struggle begins
you will drop from the window; it is but eight feet; and help him to
secure the man