him
onward as quickly as possible. At length she paused.

"You mus' be careful," she said; "here is the steps brokes, an' you
shall go slow--and not slips."

It was so dark here that Russell could see nothing; but he felt that
Rita was descending, so he prepared to follow. The steps here had
been broken in places, leaving a rough, inclined plane, with loose
stones and mortar. There was no great difficulty in descending, but
it was dark, and Russell's long skirts were very much in the way.
However, by moving slowly, and by exercising great caution, he was
able to reach the bottom without any accident.

Here Rita took his hand and again led him on. It now began to grow
lighter, until at last objects were plainly discernible. The light
was caused by the moonbeams, which shone in through a place where the
outside wall was broken away. Looking through the opening, Russell
saw, not far distant, a precipice, with bits of shrubbery here and
there. Soon they came to the opening itself.

He found himself on the verge of a deep chasm, the very one already
mentioned. Above the opening projected part of what had once been a
bridge, but which had long since fallen. On the opposite side was the
tower where Brooke and Talbot had found refuge. The bridge had once
crossed to the tower, and, since it had fallen, this opening had been
made, from which the chasm could be crossed by descending on one side
and ascending the other. The slope was steep and rough. Russell, as
he looked down, could not see any chance of farther progress in this
direction.

"We mus' go down here," said Rita.

"Here?" said Russell. "How? I can't go down!"

"Oh, it is easy; you mus' follow. I show the ways," said Rita; and,
saying this, she stepped down from the opening upon a ledge of rock.
Then turning to the right, she went on for a pace or two and turned
for Russell. Seeing her walk thus far with ease and in safety, he
ventured after her. The ledge was wide enough to walk on without
difficulty; and, although the chasm was deep, yet the side did not
run down steeply enough to make him feel anything like giddiness. The
pathway was easy enough when one had a guide to show the way; and
thus Russell, following closely behind Rita, reached the bottom.
Then, crossing the brook, she led the way up on the opposite side by
the path already mentioned, and at length both reached the tower, and
paused to take breath.

Thus far no alarm had been given in the castl