Page:Tudor Jenks--The defense of the castle.djvu/234

206 fresh night air. Edgar was anxious and almost repented his consent to her going; but the young girl, now that her course was resolved upon, and her enterprise begun, seemed not only cheerful but even gay. She insisted upon being called "Harry," and refused to consider the possibility of failure.

With a last embrace, Edgar bade her Godspeed, and choked down a lump in his throat as he saw her disappear in the darkness. He had little fear that she would be met by any of the Count's men, and he was uneasy only because of the long journey before her, and the many accidents that might happen. Yet he was fully convinced that she would carry out her mission better than any other inmate of the castle, and believed that no other could as well be spared. He was discouraged by the rapid progress of the siege, and saw that every man of the garrison might be needed if they were to hold out until relief could come.

He turned away at last, with a heavy sigh, and entering the low opening, carefully concealed it by replacing the bushes and stones that had been displaced.