Page:Romance & Reality 3.pdf/45

Rh it was an arrow, evidently just cut, and a strip of narrow paper folded tightly round. It contained these words, written in pencil:—

"If you can manage to lower a string from the window your escape is certain. "

Lady Mandeville sprang to the window. She had already cleared away enough ivy to enable her to see out. It was too dark to distinguish any object definitely: the shadow of the old castle lay black on the river, and the outline of the opposite bank was only marked by deeper obscurity.

"How shall we manage?" Emily, whose distinguishing quality was not presence of mind, only looked eagerly at her companion. "We cannot be worse off—we may be better. I am sorry, my dear girl, even to propose such a sacrifice; but give me that pretty apron we thought so picturesque and peasant like this morning, and help me to tear it into strips." Emily took off her blue silk apron, whose red trimming was a flattering likeness of a Neapolitan costume. It was soon torn up, and knotted together.