at it all meant, when the door was opened.
The light of a lantern in his hand revealed a green and white uniform,
and the deeply seamed face of a man of fifty.

"Quick now, yer damned rebel," he said hoarsely. "Be up an' lam me one,
an' here's the rope."

"What!"

"Didn't yer hear? or wasn't yer told the game? Sufferin' Moses, it's got
to be played swift, or ye'll lie here an' rot. That's what that
bald-headed skate is out thar leadin' 'em off for. I'm ter come in wid
yer supper; ye slug me first sight, bind me up wid the rope, and skip.
'Tis a dirty job, but the friends of ye pay well for it, so come on now."

I comprehended the plan in a flash. She had discovered a sentry money
would buy; to lead the others away long enough to effect my escape, Peter
had taken to the woods with a gun. Whether he escaped or was captured,
the delay would be short. With the knowledge came action. I bore the
unresisting Ranger to the floor, hurling down the tray of food he bore in
a mass of broken crockery, and bound him hand and foot, leaving the
fellow lying across the open doorway. He was without arms, except his
heavy gun, which I left beside him. An instant I paused to ask a
question, holding aloft the lantern so as to see his face.

"Now man, speak quick; you were given some word for me? Some instructions
how I was to get away?"

"Sure; but ye drew those cords tight! You are to go up stairs, out the
front door, and turn to the right; there's a horse in the thicket beyond
the summer house. Damnation, loosen that ankle rope, will ye?"

I gave it a twitch, but felt little compassion for the fellow, and ran up
the steps, leaving the lantern below. I knew the way even in the dark,
and experienced little trouble in feeling my passage. I met with no
interference, and heard no sound, the house seemingly deserted. Only as I
opened the front door could I hear distant, irregular firing to the
northwest. Assured that no guard remained I flung myself recklessly over
the porch rail onto the smooth turf of the lawn. The dim outlines of the
latticed summer house could be discerned not thirty feet distant, and I
started toward it unhesitatingly. I had made half the distance when a
horse neighed suddenly to my right, and, startled at the sound, I fell
flat, creeping cautiously forward into the shadow of a low bush. I had
risen to my knees, believing the animal must be the one left there for my
use, when I heard the growl of a voice, a man's vo