en to have them hurled to the ground with shattering
force. My life depended on this key. Would it turn back the bars and
give me freedom and life, or would it, like the others, mock with its
silent contempt my anxiety? How I longed to know my fate, and yet
dreaded the test, lest I should fail. My hand shook as with palsy, and
made it well nigh impossible for me to insert the key. Then 'twas in
the lock; and still I did not turn it.

Verily, I have faced the deadly cannon, oft, and yet have felt no
anxiety nor fear. But now, as I stood before that heavy gate, with the
key already in the lock, requiring but a turn--that is if it did
work--to set me at least nearer unto liberty, my courage did forsake
me, and I really feared to turn the key.

Some there are, I know, who will say it was unmanly in me to thus
hesitate. Mine answer, in advance, is:--Let them but place themselves
in the same position and see then how they will act. It requires but
little courage to tell what one would do; but it is different when one
doth face the reality and not the argument.

At length, with a mighty effort, such as a man doth make when heaving
with his shoulder in an attempt to move a mighty boulder, I summoned up
all my strength of spirit, and exerted pressure on the key. Thank
Heaven, it turned! I would have cheered with delight had not the plain
warning of the letter remained fresh in my mind. Softly we swung the
gate open and passed beneath the arch. I was about to push on and
leave the gate open behind, but Michael, who seemed less disturbed than
was I--but then he had not been confined within the Tower for long
weeks--whispered:--

"Beg pardon, sor, but dount ye think 'twould be safer to lock the gate
agin? They moight follow loike."

With great care I closed and locked the gate. Then, stealing slowly,
as doth the fox, along the wall, we in time reached the shadow of St.
Thomas tower. It was so dark here that I could scarce see Michael; for
now 'twas past the hour of midnight, and the young moon had grown weary
and was sinking her head upon the lap of earth, casting long, black
shadows as she sank into her sleep.

How I cursed my creaking, yet necessary, armour as I stole along.

Then my heart beat so loudly that I thought the sentry near which we
were now drawing must hear it and break forth with his loud, disturbing
challenge. Back and forth he paced with weary, clanking steps,
unconscious of the two dark fo