Page:William Le Queux - The Czar's Spy.djvu/243

Rh impossibility. The man who brought you from Abo will not dare to accept such responsibility."

"Come," I said to Elma, although, alas! she could not hear my voice. "Let us at least make a dash for freedom."

She recognized my intentions in a moment, and allowed herself to be conducted down the long intricate corridor, walking stealthily, and making no noise.

I had seized the old horn lantern, and as the nun held back, not daring to accompany us, we stole on alone, turning back along the stone corridor until I recognized the door of the room to which I had been first conducted.

All was silent, and as we crept along on tiptoe I felt the girl's grip upon my arm, a grip that told me that she placed her faith in me as her deliverer.

I own that it was a rash and headstrong act, for even beyond the lake how could we ever hope to penetrate those interminable inhospitable forests, so far from any hiding-place.

Yet I felt it my duty to attempt the rescue. And besides, had not her marvellous beauty enmeshed me; had I not felt by some unaccountable intuition at the first moment we had met that our lives were linked in the future?

She clung to me, as though fearful of discovery, as we went forward in silence along that dark low corridor where I knew the strong door in the tower opened upon the lake. Once in the boat, and we could row back to where the horses awaited us, and then away.