tion! I had been
driven to despair, but this strange twist in his mood made all smooth
for me. "That 'again and again' sounds dreary," said I. "It might almost
appear I must sometime accept your gospel, to cure you of preaching it,
and save me from eternal drowsiness."

We were then most fortunately interrupted. He made his adieus, and I
went to my room, brooded till my head ached, then fell a-weeping, and
wished myself out of the world, I was so sick and weary. Now and again
a hot shudder of shame and misery ran through me, as I thought of
monsieur's words to me. Put them how he would, they sound an insult now,
though as he spoke I felt the power of his passion. "If you had lived a
thousand years ago, you would have loved a thousand times," he said
to me one day. Sometimes I think he spoke truly; I have a nature that
responds to all eloquence in life.

Robert, I have bared my heart to thee. I have hidden nothing. In a few
days I shall go back to the city with my mother, and when I can I will
send news; and do thou send me news also, if thou canst devise a safe
way. Meanwhile, I have written my brother Juste to be magnanimous, and
to try for thy freedom. He will not betray me, and he may help us. I
have begged him to write to thee a letter of reconcilement.

And now, comrade of my heart, do thou have courage. I also shall be
strong as I am ardent. Having written thee, I am cheerful once more; and
when again I may, I will open the doors of my heart that thou mayst come
in. That heart is thine, Robert. Thy

ALIXE,

who loves thee all her days.

P.S.--I have found the names and places of the men who keep the guard
beneath thy window. If there is chance for freedom that way, fix the day
some time ahead, and I will see what may be done. Voban fears nothing;
he will act secretly for me.

The next day I arranged for my escape, which had been long in planning.

XVII. THROUGH THE BARS OF THE CAGE

I should have tried escape earlier but that it was little use to venture
forth in the harsh winter in a hostile country. But now April had come,
and I was keen to make a trial of my fortune. I had been saving food for
a long time, little by little, and hiding it in the old knapsack which
had held my second suit of clothes. I had used the little stove for
parching my food--Indian corn, for which I had professed a fondness to
my jailer, and liberally paid for out of funds which had been sent me
by Mr. George Washingt