a word about my being
here."

A sound outside, probably only a bird fluttering in the ivy, made him
start nervously, and Stella saw that he shook, and that the perspiration
stood out on his face. He drew her quickly back to the entrance to the
vault. "Swear you won't ever breathe a word to anybody that you have seen
me. Swear it! Do you hear?"

He looked so ferocious, that Stella began to cry. "I won't tell, of
course not," she said, earnestly. "I am not a sneak, and we wanted you to
escape; we all hoped you were far away by this time. Paul and I thought
you must be."

He gave a sort of snarl. "There's no getting away from this place, unless
anybody's got friends outside to help 'em. They are too sharp, and there
are too many of 'em. But I've gone free longer than any before me, and
that's something. Who is Paul?" he asked suddenly. "And where do you
live?"

"We live at Moor Farm. Paul is my brother, the one you shot."

The man looked at her sharply, "Did I--did I hurt him much?"

"The bullet went through his arm. He didn't die."

"I'm glad of that," said the man, and he spoke as though he really meant
it. "I'm starving," he said a second later. "I haven't had a mouthful
since the day before yesterday, and I can't hold out much longer.
Have you got any food about you?"

Stella shook her head. "No, I haven't. I am so sorry," she said
wistfully, and the man's hard face grew soft as her blue eyes looked
pityingly up at him. "I _wish_ I could help you," she said earnestly;
then with sudden recollection, "I have three shillings, if that would be
of any use to you."

"Thank you, Missy, it might be," he said gratefully; "but I wish you'd got
a bit of bread."

She took out her little purse, and counted out the money into his rough
hand. "Thank you, Missy," he said again. "I shall never forget you, if I
gets away, or if I'm took I shall always be humbly grateful to you, and
think of you as one of the pluckiest little ladies that ever lived."

"Thank you," she said politely, "but I think I must be going now, or
someone may come to look for me."

The man's face again was filled with a desperate fear, and he shrank back
further into the gloom of the vault, "Before you go you must swear you
won't give me away. Swear!--do you hear, on your solemn oath!"

"I don't know how to swear," said Stella simply, "but I promise solemnly
not to tell anyone who would do you any harm."

"That won't do. Yo