herents are assembled; summon all your
courage."

"To-morrow, at eleven o'clock in the evening, drop a cord from your
window, and draw up the packet that will be fastened to it."

There remained in the queen's apartments the rope over and above what had
served for the ladder taken away by the guards the evening of the
frustrated escape: next day, at the appointed hour, the two prisoners
shut up the lamp in the bedroom, so that no light should betray them, and
Mary Seyton, approaching the window, let down the cord. After a minute,
she felt from its movements that something was being attached to it.
Mary Seyton pulled, and a rather bulky parcel appeared at the bars, which
it could not pass on account of its size. Then the queen came to her
companion's aid. The parcel was untied, and its contents, separately,
got through easily. The two prisoners carried them into the bedroom,
and, barricaded within, commenced an inventory. There were two complete
suits of men's clothes in the Douglas livery. The queen was at a loss,
when she saw a letter fastened to the collar of one of the two coats.
Eager to know the meaning of this enigma, she immediately opened it, and
read as follows:

"It is only by dint of audacity that her Majesty can recover her liberty:
let her Majesty read this letter, then, and punctually follow, if she
deign to adopt them, the instructions she will find therein.

"In the daytime the keys of the castle do not leave the belt of the old
steward; when curfew is rung and he has made his rounds to make sure that
all the doors are fast shut, he gives them up to William Douglas, who, if
he stays up, fastens them to his sword-belt, or, if he sleeps, puts them
under his pillow. For five months, Little Douglas, whom everyone is
accustomed to see working at the armourer's forge of the castle, has been
employed in making some keys like enough to the others, once they are
substituted for them, for William to be deceived. Yesterday Little
Douglas finished the last.

"On the first favourable opportunity that her Majesty will know to be
about to present itself, by carefully questioning the light each day,
Little Douglas will exchange the false keys for the true, will enter the
queen's room, and will find her dressed, as well as Miss Mary Seyton, in
their men's clothing, and he will go before them to lead them, by the way
which offers the best chances for their escape; a boat will be prepared
and will await them.