as in reality the case, for she now stretched forth her hand, drew
a bundle of folded papers from the box, and after resting her eyes upon
them for a moment, suddenly concealed them in the bosom of her dress!

"Heavens!" I mentally ejaculated, "what can it mean?"

I had no time to give way to conjectures--for in a second's time Aurore
had glided across the floor, and was standing in the window.

As she raised the curtain, the light streamed full on the faces of
myself and my companion, and at the first glance she saw us. A slight
exclamation escaped her, but it was of joy, not surprise; and she
suddenly checked herself.

The ejaculation was not loud enough to be heard across the room. The
sash opened noiselessly--with silent tread the verandah was crossed--and
in another moment my betrothed was in my arms! I lifted her over the
balustrade, and we passed hastily along the walks of the garden.

The outer field was reached without any alarm having been given; and,
directing ourselves between the rows of the canes, we speeded on towards
the woods, that loomed up like a dark wall in the distance.

CHAPTER SIXTY SEVEN.

THE LOST MUSTANGS.

The lightning continued to play at intervals, and we had no difficulty
in finding our way. We recrossed near the same place where we had
entered the field; and, guiding ourselves along the fence, hurried on
towards the thicket of pawpaws, where we had left our horses.

My design was to take to the road at once, and endeavour to reach the
city before daybreak. Once there, I hoped to be able to keep
concealed--both myself and my betrothed--until some opportunity offered
of getting out to sea, or up the river to one of the free states. I
never thought of taking to the woods. Chance had made me acquainted
with a rare hiding-place, and no doubt we might have found concealment
there for a time. The advantage of this had crossed my mind, but I did
not entertain the idea for a moment. Such a refuge could be but
temporary. We should have to flee from it in the end, and the
difficulty of escaping from the country would be as great as ever.
Either for victim or criminal there is no place of concealment so safe
as the crowded haunts of the populous city; and in New Orleans--half of
which consists of a "floating" population--incognito is especially
easily to be preserved.

My design, therefore--and D'Hauteville approved it--was to mount our
horses, and make direct for the city.