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Rh "Antoine and Jacques Dauban are together at the far end of the corridor, monsieur, coming this way. Have a care," she whispered hurriedly.

"Is there a hiding-place here?" he asked.

"Alas! no, monsieur."

"Very well; then if they come in some of us will not go out again," he answered coolly, and stepping behind the door he loosened a knife he had concealed under his coat. "Leave the door open."

Lucette stood where she could not be seen by any one passing; and they waited thus in suspense as the sound of footsteps on the stones without came nearer. She turned pale and clenched her hands and began to mutter a prayer as the steps came close and the murmur of the two men as they talked in low tones reached their ears.

They were discussing the one absorbing topic—the prisoners' escape and the subsequent events, and they paused close to the open door.

"I tell you it is not possible, Master Dauban," Antoine said. "There is not a spot in the walls ten yards wide that has not one or more soldiers."

"Aye, now that they are safely outside. Did they not get out of here? Answer me that, monsieur. And if out of here, why not from the bigger cage? I tell you they are many a league from Morvaix long ere this."

"But the whole belt of country for leagues round has been scoured by our horse. And they were away from the city within an hour after the prisoners had fled."

"Have it as you will, monsieur; but those who could not hold may be no better at finding. A hen's egg would be hard to find hidden in this Castle, but not harder, methinks, than two men and a woman concealed in a belt of country leagues wide and where every man and woman would be their friend. I speak but what my master thinks and what the Governor thinks too."