re when that length
of limb had reared itself, and attained to the dizzy crag above. A
fairer but more solid face, with a long upper lip, appeared, mounting in
its turn. She durst not believe her eyes, and she was not conscious of
making any sound, unless it was the vehement beating of her own heart;
but perhaps it was the power of her own excitement that communicated
itself to her sleeping sister, for Jean's voice was heard, 'What is it,
Elleen; what is it?'

She signed back with her hand to enjoin silence, for her sense began to
tell her that this must be reality, and that castles had before now
been thus surprised by brave Scotsmen. Jean was out of bed and at the
loophole in a moment. There was room for only one, and Eleanor yielded
the place, the less reluctantly that the fair head had reached the
part veiled by the tree, and Jean's eyes would be an evidence that she
herself might trust her own sight.

Jean's glance first fell on the backs of the ascending figures, now
above the crag. 'Ah! ah!' she cried, under her breath, 'a surprise--a
rescue! Oh! the lad--stretching, spreading! The man below is holding his
foot. Oh! that tuft of grass won't bear him. His knees are up. Yes--yes!
he is even with the top of the wall now. Elleen! Hope! Brave laddie!
Why--'tis--yes--'tis Ringan. Now the other, the muckle carle--Ah!' and
then a sudden breathless silence came over her.

Eleanor knew she had recognised that figure!

Madame de Ste. Petronelle was awake now, asking what this meant.

'Deliverance!' whispered Eleanor. 'They are scaling the wall. Oh, Jean,
one moment--'

'I canna, I canna,' cried Jean, grasping the iron bar with all her
might: 'I see his face; he is there on the ledge, at fit of the wall, in
life and strength. Ringan--yes, Ringan is going up the wall like a cat!'

'Where is he? Is he safe--the Duke, I would say?' gasped Eleanor. 'Oh,
let me see, Jeanie.'

'The Duke, is it? Ah! Geordie is giving a hand to help him on the
ground. Tak' tent, tak' tent, Geordie. Dinna coup ower. Ah! they are
baith there, and one--two--three muckle fellows are coming after them.'

'Climbing up there!' exclaimed the Dame, bustling up. 'God speed them.
Those are joes worth having, leddies!'

'There! there--Geordie is climbing now. St. Bride speed him, and hide
them. Well done, Duke! He hoisted him so far. Now his hand is on
that broken stone. Up! up! His foot is in the cleft now! His
hand--oh!--clasps the ivy! God help h