I come to thee because time presses, and I know not where else to
turn. Thou hast been his friend before; wilt thou play a friend's
part now, even if it be fraught with peril?"

Jacob paused a few seconds before replying, and then said simply,
"What can I do?"

"I will tell thee," answered Esther, speaking rapidly. "Cuthbert
Trevlyn lies bound in a house not far away. Tomorrow, so soon as
the news of the plot is noised abroad, and all is in commotion to
discover the conspirators, he will be delivered up to those who are
searching for these; and if thou knewest as much as I, thou wouldst
know that nothing then can save him. But there be yet twelve hours
before this can happen, and if he can be rescued within those
twelve hours, and lodged with me in my house at Budge Row, I will
undertake to hide him so well till all hue and cry be past and over
that none shall find him; and before the glad Yuletide season has
come to rejoice men's hearts, he shall be free to go where he will
and show his face with the best of them."

This and much more did the eager gipsy pour into Jacob's astonished
ears as he stood in the shadow of the deep porch. Every detail of
the capture was made known to him, the whole plot laid bare, as she
had heard it from the lips of the men who had borne Cuthbert
ashore, and had then been so cunningly plied with heating liquor by
the astute old woman that they had babbled freely of those very
things that Tyrrel would fain have had held secret as the grave, at
least for twenty-four hours longer.

Jacob listened, and as he listened his mind was strangely stirred.
Here was his rival in deadly peril of his life; and if Cuthbert
were once to be removed from his path, had not Cherry almost
promised, in time, to be his wife? And had he not done all he knew
to warn Cuthbert from just those friendships and associations which
had ended by placing him in this terrible peril? Could anything
more be looked for from him? What did this strange woman think that
he could accomplish?

Cuthbert was truly his friend and comrade. He had proved it once by
risking his life to aid and abet him. But now what could he do? And
surely in these perilous times, when all men knew they must walk
warily, it behoved him to take heed to his steps.

"And what can I do?" he asked, as the woman paused.

"Art thou willing to strive to save him at some peril to thyself?"

Jacob paused for a full minute. A host of tumultuous feelings
rus