Lyon Berners, earnestly.

"But dear Lyon, we must be very careful not to betray by any word or
look that we have any acquaintance, much less understanding, with
Munson, for to do so would be to ruin our only chance of escape," said
Sybil.

"Of course! of course! I understand that perfectly well!"

"But watch your opportunity, and when you feel it to be perfectly safe,
communicate with Robert Munson.

"I understand, dear Sybil, and I shall be very prudent and very
vigilant," answered Mr. Berners.

And then they retired to rest.

Very early the next morning they were aroused by their keeper who never
left his post at their door until he saw them come out of their room.
And then he drew Mrs. Berner's arm within his own and led her down to
breakfast.

After breakfast they resumed their journey.

This first day and night on the road was a type of all that followed.
The bailiff Purley never lost sight of his charge except at night, and
then he first assured himself that her room was a secure prison, from
which it would be impossible for her to escape; and then, to make
assurance doubly sure, he always locked the door on the outside, put the
key into his pocket, and stretched himself on a mattress across the
threshold.

There was no opportunity afforded to Sybil, Lyon and their new friend to
speak together in private; and as day followed day and night succeeded
night in this hopeless manner, their spirits fell from despondency even
to despair.

But as it is said to be darkest just before dawn, and that when things
are at their worst they are sure to mend, so it proved in their case.

On the evening of the fourth day of their tedious journey, they stopped
to sup and sleep at a lonely farm-house, where for "a consideration,"
the poor farmer consented, whenever he got the chance, to entertain
travellers.

Here their wagon and horses were comfortably stabled, and themselves
were lodged and feasted.

Here, as usual after supper, Mr. Purley accompanied his charge to her
bedroom, which, to his perplexity, he found to have two doors; the one
opening upon the upper hall, and the other communicating with an
adjoining vacant chamber.

After some consideration, he solved the difficulty of guarding his
prisoner by saying to his assistant:

"Well, Munson, all that can be done is this: one of us will have to
sleep across one door, and the other across the other. And as I hav'n't
slept in a room for three nights, I reckon