"Good-bye, Roger, I am
going, dear lad and faithful comrade; good-bye, and God bless you!
Remember what I said about preparing for to-night; and do not grieve for
me, for indeed I am quite happy. Good-bye!" His head fell back, his
breathing ceased, and Roger knew that he was now alone. Alone in
prison, and still in the hands of the Holy Office. He reverently closed
the eyes of his chum, and covered his face, after which he remained
seated by the side of the body of the beloved dead, lost in bitter
thought and sorrowful retrospection.

He was aroused by hearing the click of the trap-door in the wall as the
food was thrust in, and this recalled him to himself.

He remembered Harry's last injunction, that he was to continue the work
of cutting through the bars of the grating in order to be ready to
escape when midnight came. And he also remembered that Harry had given
his sister Mary into his charge, and enjoined him to look after and take
care of her.

How could he do this if he remained where he was, and lost his life,
even as poor Harry had lost his? No, he must put away his grief and
melancholy thoughts until a more convenient season. If he wished to
fulfil his promises to his dead friend, he must first escape. Actuated
by these reflections, he feverishly seized the tools once more and set
to work on the remaining two bars of the grating. The work took longer,
labouring by himself, but eventually one bar was cut through entirely,
and but one more remained. The night was getting on, however. There
was no means of knowing what hour it was, but he felt that it must be
nearing the appointed time. He seized one of the saws and began work on
the last bar, and at last cut it through also at the top. He had barely
finished that part of his task when a pebble came clattering up against
the wall just below the grating. The man was there already then! He
left the bar for a moment and lowered away the cord, and presently he
felt the now familiar jerking at the end and hauled it up. There was a
missive at the end, and, unfastening it from the cord, Roger took it to
the friendly patch of moonlight and read as follows:--

"I have heard the news already, and am sorry. But I have come to save
you, as it is to be your turn to-morrow. Come at once, if you can;
but if you have not quite finished, I can wait a little. When you are
ready, send down the cord, and I will attach the rope. You can haul
that up