ear Mrs. Betty, for the love of God run quickly
and bring her with you. You know my lodging, and, if ever you made
despatch in your life, do it at present. I am distracted with this
disappointment.' The guards opened the doors, and I went downstairs with
him, still conjuring to make all possible despatch. As soon as he had
cleared the door, I made him walk before me, for fear the sentinel
should take notice of his walk; but I still continued to press him to
make all the despatch he possibly could. At the bottom of the stairs I
met my dear Evans, into whose hands I confided him.[3]

[Footnote 3: Thus one more person left Lord Nithsdale's prison
than had entered it. Three had gone in, and four came out. But
so long as women only passed, and these two at a time, the
guards probably were not particularly watchful. This inevitable
difficulty in the plan of the escape makes Lady Nithsdale's
admirable self-possession of manner in conducting it the more
conspicuous. Any failure on her part would have awakened the
suspicions of the bystanders.]

"I had before engaged Mr. Mills to be in readiness before the Tower to
conduct him to some place of safety, in case he succeeded. He looked
upon the affair as so very improbable to succeed, that his astonishment,
when he saw us, threw him into such consternation that he was almost out
of himself; which Evans perceiving, with the greatest presence of mind,
without telling him (Lord Nithsdale) anything, lest he should mistrust
them, conducted him to some of her own friends on whom she could rely,
and so secured him; without which we should have been undone. When she
had conducted him, and left him with them, she returned to find Mr.
Mills, who by this time had recovered himself from his astonishment.
They went home together, and having found a place of security, they
conducted him to it.

"In the meanwhile, as I had pretended to have sent the young lady on a
message, I was obliged to return upstairs and go back to my lord's room
in the same feigned anxiety of being too late; so that everybody seemed
sincerely to sympathise with my distress. When I was in the room, I
talked to him as if he had been really present; and answered my own
questions in my lord's voice as nearly as I could imitate it. I walked
up and down as if we were conversing together, till I thought they had
time enough thoroughly to clear themselves of the guards. I then thought
proper to make off also. I opened the door,