ed them out from the lofty tower above.

Mary Goddard had told him to come later than before, and it was after
half-past ten when he tapped upon the shutter of the little drawing-room.
All was dark within, and he held his breath as he stood among the wet
creepers, listening intently for the sound of his wife's coming.
Presently the glass window inside was opened.

"Is that you?" asked Mary's voice in a tremulous whisper.

"Yes," he answered. "Let me in." Then the shutter was cautiously
unfastened and opened a little and in the dim starlight Goddard
recognised his wife's pale face. Her hand went out to him, with something
in it.

"There is the money," she whispered. "Go as quickly as you can. They are
looking for you--there are orders out to arrest you."

Goddard seized her fingers and took the money. She would have withdrawn
her hand but he held it firmly.

"Who told you that they were after me?" he asked in a fierce whisper.

"Mr. Juxon--let me go."

"Mr. Juxon!" The convict uttered a rough oath. "Your friend Mr. Juxon,
eh? He is after me, is he? Tell him--"

"Hush, hush!" she whispered. "He has no idea you are here--"

"I should think not," muttered Walter. "He would not be sneaking in here
on the sly to see you if he knew I were about!"

"What do you mean?" asked Mary. "Oh, Walter, let me go--you hurt me so!"
He held her fingers as in a vice.

"Hurt you! I wish I could strangle you and him too! Ha, you thought I was
not looking this afternoon when he came! He went to the corner of the
road with the parson, and when the parson was out of sight he came back!
I saw you!"

"You saw nothing!" answered his wife desperately. "How can you say so! If
you knew how kind he has been, what a loyal gentleman he is, you would
not dare to say such things."

"You used to say I was a loyal gentleman, Mary," retorted the convict. "I
daresay he is of the same stamp as I. Look here, Mary, if I catch this
loyal gentleman coming here any more I will cut his throat--so look out!"

"You do not mean to say you are going to remain here any longer, in
danger of your life?" said Mary in great alarm.

"Well--a man can only hang once. Give me some more of that bread and
cheese, Mary. It was exceedingly good."

"Then let me go," said his wife, trembling with horror at the threat she
had just heard.

"Oh yes. I will let you go. But I will just hold the window open in case
you don't come back soon enough. Look sharp!"

There w