n Harry began to breathe freely. He
was fully resolved on paying another visit to Katie at the earliest
possible moment. He knew that she would be expecting him. She would
not be asleep this time. There were many things which he wished to
say, and, above all, he wished to persuade her to venture into the
passage-way herself, at some favorable opportunity, so that they
might see one another more frequently.

It was about nine o'clock when Harry entered the passage-way. It was
quite dark, the room being illuminated in part, as before, by the
struggling moonbeams. He went along the passage-way and came to the
end at the other chimney. There he paused, and waited, and watched.
Gradually he became aware of some one beneath. He gave a low whisper:
"Katie!"

A low whisper was returned: "Harry!" Upon this he descended softly
and noiselessly.

Katie herself was there. She had been expecting him.

"They are all asleep," she said. "I thought I'd just come here to see
if you were coming."

"You little pet! You knew I'd come."

"I thought you might, you know."

"This day has been so horribly long, Katie; I thought it would never
end. See here--can't we manage to run away? I wish I could find some
way out. But you're chilly. This air is damp, and there is a bad
draught down the chimney. Come in to the corner of the room."

"But, oh, do be very, very cautious!" said Katie.

Holding her hand, Harry went stealthily into the room, and drew her
with him as quietly as possible, till they reached a corner of the
room on the right of the fireplace. This corner was all shrouded in
gloom, so that if the sleepers had awakened they could have seen
nothing. Here the two found themselves quite secure for the time
being; and as all the room was perfectly silent, they were not afraid
to resume their stealthy whispers.

"Have you been lonely to-day, Katie?" asked Harry, in a tender voice.

"Oh, a little."

"A little!" repeated he, in a reproachful tone.

"But there's been such an awful lot of fun," said Katie; "I've been
almost bursting to tell some one--that's you, you know."

"Fun?" said Harry, wonderingly; "what fun?"

"Oh, that absurd old Paddy King, Don Carlos, as he calls
himself--only he's no more a king than I am. Don't you think he's
some strolling Irish vagabond adventurer?"

"Irish vagabond? I don't know," said Harry. Now Harry had only heard
"His Majesty" speak in Spanish, and therefore did not see the point
at all.