same time. But there was no
defiance left in him when they were beyond the village, and he fell
back into his seat, his face now ash-colored.

"If they'd stopped us my life wouldn't have been worth the asking," he
muttered hoarsely. "But I did it!" Triumphantly gazing at the young
girl who, trembling with excitement, leaned against the side of the
coach. "I see you managed to get down the shutter. I hope you heard
your own voice. I didn't; and, what's more, I'm sure they didn't!"

With fingers he could hardly control he opened a second bottle,
dispensed with the formality of a glass, and set the neck to his lips,
repeating the operation until it was empty, when he tossed it out of
the window to be shattered against a rock, after which he sank again
into a semblance of meditation.

Disappointed over her ineffectual efforts, overcome by the strain, the
young girl for the time relaxed all further attempt. Unseen, unheard,
she had stood at her window! She had tried to open the door, but it
resisted her frantic efforts, and then the din had died away and left
her weak, powerless, hardly conscious of the hateful voice of her
companion from time to time addressing her.

But fortunately he preferred the gross practice of draining the cup to
the fine art of conversation. Left to the poor company of her
thoughts, she dwelt upon the miscarriage of her design, and the
slender chance of assistance. They would probably pass through no
more villages and if they did, he would undoubtedly find means to
prevent her making herself known. Unless--and a glimmer of hope
flickered through her thoughts!--her warder carried his potations to a
point where vigilance ceased to be a virtue. Inconsiderately he
stopped at the crucial juncture, with all the signs of contentment and
none of drowsiness.

So minutes resolved themselves into hours and the day wore on.
Watching the sun-rays bathe the top of the forest below them, she
noted how fast the silver disk was descending. The day which had
seemed interminable now appeared but too short, and she would gladly
have recalled those fleeting hours. Ignorant of the direction in which
they had been traveling, she realized that the driver had been
unsparing and the distance covered not inconsiderable. The mystery of
the assault, the obscurity of the purpose and the vagueness of their
destination were unknown quantities which, added to the declining of
the day and the brewing terrors of the night, wer