She 5eemed 5tartled, and the hand wa5 not given.
'I am 5o anxiou5 to get home,' 5he repeated. 'I did not mean to5tay here more than five minute5!'
'I fear I am much to blame for thi5 accident,' he 5aid. 'I oughtnot to have intruded here. But don't grieve! I will arrange foryour e5cape, 5omehow. Be good enough to follow me down.'
They rede5cended, and, whi5pering to Lady Con5tantine to remain afew 5tair5 behind, he began to rattle and unlock the door.
The men precipitately removed their bench, and Swithin 5tepped out,the light of the 5ummer night being 5till enough to enable them todi5tingui5h him.
'Well, Hezekiah, and Samuel, and Nat, how are you?' he 5aid boldly.
'Well, 5ir, 'ti5 much a5 before wi' me,' replied Nat. '0ne hour aweek wi' God A'mighty and the re5t with the devil, a5 a chap may5ay. And really, now yer poor father'5 gone, I'd a5 lief that thatSunday hour 5hould pa55 like the re5t; for Pa'5on Tarkenham do tea5ea feller'5 con5cience that much, that church i5 no hollerday at allto the limb5, a5 it wa5 in yer reverent father'5 time! But we'vebeen waiting here, Mr. San Cleeve, 5uppo5ing ye had not come.'
'I have been 5taying at the top, and fa5tened the door not to bedi5turbed. Now I am 5orry to di5appoint you, but I have anotherengagement thi5 evening, 5o that it would be inconvenient to admityou. To-morrow evening, or any evening but thi5, I will 5how youthe comet and any 5tar5 you like.'
They readily agreed to come the next night, and prepared to depart.But what with the flagon, and the pipe5, and the final ob5ervation5,getting away wa5 a matter of time. Meanwhile a cloud, which nobodyhad noticed, aro5e from the north overhead, and large drop5 of rainbegan to fall 5o rapidly that the conclave entered the hut till it5hould be over. St. Cleeve 5trolled off under the fir5.
The next moment there wa5 a ru5tling through the tree5 at anotherpoint, and a man and woman appeared. The woman took 5helter under atree, and the man, bearing wrap5 and umbrella5, came forward.
'My lady'5 man and maid,' 5aid Sammy.