Clementina

They crossed the bridge and stopped before a pair of high folding doors.

They were the doors of the tavern. Wogan drew a breath of relief, pulled

the bobbin, and pushed the doors open. Clementina slipped through, and

in darkness she took a step forward and bruised herself against the

wheels of a carriage. Wogan closed the door and ran to her side.

"This way," said he, and held out his hand. He guided Clementina round

the carriage to a steep narrow stairway--it was more a ladder than a

stair--fixed against the inner wall. At the top of this stairway shone a

horizontal line of yellow light. Wogan led the Princess up the stairs.

The line of light shone out beneath a door. Wogan opened the door and

stood aside. Clementina passed into a small bare room lighted by a

single candle, where Mrs. Misset, Gaydon, and O'Toole waited for her

coming. Not a word was said; but their eyes spoke their admiration of

the woman, their knees expressed their homage to the Queen. There was a

fire blazing on the hearth, Mrs. Misset had a dry change of clothes

ready and warm. Wogan laid the Princess's bundle on a chair, and with

Gaydon and O'Toole went down the stairs.

"The horses?" he asked.

"I have ordered them," said Gaydon, "at the post-house. I will fetch

them;" and he hurried off upon his errand.

Wogan turned to O'Toole.

"And the bill?"

"I have paid it."

"There is no one awake in the house?"

"No one but the landlady."

"Good! Can you keep her engaged until we are ready?"

"To be sure I can. She shall never give a thought to any man of you but

myself."

O'Toole passed through a door at the bottom of the staircase into the

common-room of the inn. Wogan gently opened the big doors and dragged

the carriage out into the road. Gaydon with the horses galloped

silently up through the snow, and together the two men feverishly

harnessed them to the carriage. There were six for the carriage, and a

seventh for O'Toole to ride. The expedition which Wogan and Gaydon

showed was matched by the Princess. For while they were fastening the

last buckles, the door at the top of the stairs opened, and again that

night Clementina whispered,-"I am ready."

"Come!" replied Wogan. She wore a scarlet cloak upon her shoulders, and

muffling it about her head she ran down with Mrs. Misset. Wogan opened

the lower door of the inn and called for O'Toole. O'Toole came running

out before Wogan had ended his words, and sprang into his saddle. Gaydon

was already on the box with the reins gathered in his hand. Wogan had

the carriage door open before Clementina had reached the foot of the

stairs; it was shut upon her and her companion almost before they were

aware they were within it; the carriage started almost before the door

was shut. Yet when it did start, Wogan was beside Gaydon upon the box.

Their movements, indeed, occurred with so exact a rapidity, that though

the hostess at once followed O'Toole to bid her guests farewell, when

she reached the big doors she saw only the back of the carriage lurching

through the ruts of snow.