f a man to whom I could safely entrust her
happiness. When we met again, I found that you had answered my
expectation of you, and I should not have allowed so great an
intimacy to spring up between you had I not been willing that she
should, if she so wished it, marry you.

"I no longer wish her to settle in France. After what I have seen
of your free England, the despotism of our kings and the feudal
power of our nobles disgust me, and I foresee that sooner or later
a terrible upheaval will take place. What Adele herself will say I
do not know, but imagine that she will not be so obstinate in
refusing to yield to the wishes of her father as she has been to
the commands of her king.

"But she will not bring you a fortune, Rupert. If she marries you,
her estates will assuredly be forfeited by the crown. They are so
virtually now, royal receivers having been placed in possession,
but they will be formally declared forfeited on her marriage with
you. However, she will not come to you a dowerless bride. In seven
years I have laid by sufficient to enable me to give her a dowry
which will add a few farms to the Chace.

"And now, Rupert, let us to sleep; day is breaking, and although
your twenty-three years may need no rest, I like a few hours' sleep
when I can get them."

Upon the following day the conversation was renewed.

"I think, Rupert, that my captivity is really a fortunate one for
our plans. So long as I remained in France my every movement would
be watched. I dared not even write to Adele, far less think of
going to see her. Now I am out of sight of the creatures of Louis,
and can do as I please.

"I have been thinking it over. I will cross to England. Thence I
will make my way in a smuggler's craft to Nantes, where the
governor is a friend of mine. From him I will get papers under an
assumed name for my self and daughter, and with them journey to
Poitiers, and so fetch her to England."

"You will let me go with you, will you not?" Rupert exclaimed. "No
one can tell I am not a Frenchman by my speech, and I might be
useful."

"I don't know, Rupert. You might be useful, doubtless, but your
size and strength render you remarkable."

"Well, but there are big Frenchmen as well as big Englishmen,"
Rupert said. "If you travel as a merchant, I might very well go as
your serving man, and you and I together could, I think, carry
mademoiselle in safety through any odds. It will not be long to
wait. I cannot leave