?"

"I will tell you. Do you hasten on toward Hampstead, from which we are
distant in a northerly direction about a mile. There is a house at about
half the distance. Procure help, and return as quickly as possible. The
doorfastenings will resist some time, even should your flight be
discovered. You will not fail me?"

"Be assured I will not." The descent was a difficult and somewhat
perilous one, but it was safely accomplished, and I set off at the top
of my speed toward Hampstead.

I had gone perhaps a quarter of a mile, when the distant sound of a
horse's feet, coming at a slow trot toward me, caught my ear. I paused,
to make sure I was not deceived, and as I did so, a wild scream from the
direction I had left, followed by another and another, broke upon the
stillness of the night. The scoundrels had no doubt discovered my
escape, and were about to wreak their vengeance upon the unfortunate
creature in their power. The trot of the horse which I had heard was,
simultaneously with the breaking out of those wild outcries, increased
to a rapid gallop. "Hallo!" exclaimed the horseman, as he came swiftly
up. "Do you know where these screams come from?" It was the horse-patrol
who thus providentially came up! I briefly stated that the life of a
woman was at the mercy of two escaped convicts. "Then for God's sake
jump up behind me!" exclaimed the patrol. "We shall be there in a couple
of minutes." I did so: the horse--a powerful animal, and not entirely
unused to carry double--started off, as if it comprehended the necessity
for speed, and in a very brief space of time we were at the door of the
house from which I had so lately escaped. Marie Duquesne, with her body
half out of the window, was still wildly screaming as we rushed into the
room below. There was no one there, and we swiftly ascended the stairs,
at the top of which we could hear Levasseur and Dubarle thundering at
the door, which they had unexpectedly found fastened, and hurling a
storm of imprecations at the woman within, the noise of which enabled us
to approach them pretty nearly before we were heard or perceived. Martin
saw us first, and his sudden exclamation alarmed the others. Dubarle and
Martin made a desperate rush to pass us, by which I was momently thrown
on one side against the wall; and very fortunately, as the bullet
leveled at me from a pistol Levasseur held in his hand would probably
have finished me. Martin escaped, which I was not very sorry