d a light," he remarked.

They passed into the musty little hallway, and Gering with some
difficulty drew back the bolts. The door creaked open and they stepped
out into the garden, Iberville leading the way. He had not conned his
surroundings that afternoon for nothing, and when they had reached a
quiet place among some firs he hung the lantern to the branch of a tree,
opening the little ornamental door so that the light streamed out. There
was not much of it, but it would serve, and without a word, like two old
warriors, they took off their coats.

Meanwhile Morris had returned to the dining-room to find Jessica
standing agaze there. She had just come in; for, chancing to be in
her bed-chamber, which was just over the secret hallway, she had heard
Gering shoot the bolts. Now, the chamber was in a corner, so that the
window faced another way, but the incident seemed strange to her, and
she stood for a moment listening. Then hearing the door shut, she ran
down the stairs, knocked at the dining-room door and, getting no answer,
entered, meeting Morris as he came from the governor's room.

"Morris, Morris," she said, "where are they all?"

"The governor is in his room, mistress."

"Who are with him?" He told her.

"Where are the others?" she urged. "Mr. Gering and Monsieur
Iberville--where are they?"

The man's eyes had flashed to the place where the swords were used to
hang. "Lord God!" he said under his breath.

Her eyes had followed his. She ran forward to the wall and threw up her
hands against it. "Oh Morris," she said distractedly, "they have taken
the swords!" Then she went past him swiftly through the panel and the
outer door. She glanced around quickly, running, as she did so, with a
kind of blind instinct towards the clump of firs. Presently she saw
a little stream of light in the trees. Always a creature of abundant
energy and sprightliness, she swept through the night, from the comedy
behind to the tragedy in front; the grey starlight falling about her
white dress and making her hair seem like a cloud behind her as she ran.
Suddenly she came in on the two sworders with a scared, transfigured
face.

Iberville had his man at an advantage, and was making the most of it
when she came in at an angle behind the other, and the sight of her
stayed his arm. It was but for a breath, but it served. Gering had not
seen, and his sword ran up Iberville's arm, making a little trench in
the flesh.

She ran in on