as full. Where could the lad stay?

At this moment her eye fell upon a trap-door in the ceiling. There had
been until of late a ladder leading up to it, but two of the rounds
had been broken and it had been removed to the carpenter's shop. The
door opened into an airy apartment extending the whole length of the
kitchen, which was used for drying herbs which were cultivated in
ample quantities in the garden. Indeed the Owen house was the only
place in the city at the time where herbs could be had, and it was a
pleasure to Peggy and her mother to be able to answer the demand for
them. Could Clifford but climb up there, she reflected, he would be
safe for a time.

"Can thee climb, my cousin?" she cried eagerly. "Because if thee can
thee can stay up in the kitchen chamber."

"Is it warm?" asked the youth, casting a longing glance at the fire.

"Of a verity. It could not be otherwise, being above the kitchen.
Thee must not linger, Clifford. Some one is apt to come in at any
moment. See the door up there? Well, thee will have to get on the
table and I will hand thee a chair. Standing on that thee must try to
push the door open, and then draw thyself up into the room above. With
the door closed thou wilt be safe from prying eyes, yet thou wilt be
able to hear all that goes on below."

"That is fine, Peggy," commented the youth, his eyes lighting up. "You
are a cousin worth having, and have thought to some purpose."

He vaulted lightly upon the table as he spoke, and taking the chair
that Peggy handed him placed it firmly upon the table, mounting
thereupon. With a creek that set the girl's heart to beating the
trap-door was swung open, and the youth drew himself slowly into the
chamber above.

"I say," he said, peering down at Peggy, laughingly, "this is jolly.
It's as warm as toast and there is a fur robe up here. If I don't
answer you at any time you will know, my cousin, that I have gone to
sleep."

[Illustration: "CLOSE THE DOOR."]

"Close the door, Clifford," exclaimed Peggy. "I shall be uneasy until
thou art hidden."

"Don't be that, little cousin," he said almost gaily. "I feel like
another man already. I shall do royally, and I doubt if any one would
think of looking up here for an escaped Englishman."

He closed the door as he finished speaking, and heaving a sigh of
relief Peggy lifted the chair from the table and set it against the
wall. She had scarcely resumed her task of washing the pots and pans
wh