〃You　can　lock　the　doors　after　me；　and　know　as　little　as　you　choose　in　the　morning。　No　gain　without　some　risk。〃
  〃That's　so；〃　he　agreed；　and　made　a　clutch　at　the　gold。
  I　swept　it　out　of　his　reach。　〃First　earn　it；〃　I　said　dryly。　〃Look　at　the　foot　of　the　pillory　an　hour　from　now　and　you'll　find　it。　I'll　not　pay　you　this　side　of　the　doors。〃
  He　bit　his　lips　and　studied　the　floor。　〃You're　a　gentleman；〃　he　growled　at　last。　〃I　suppose　I　can　trust　ye。〃
  〃I　suppose　you　can。〃
  Taking　up　his　lantern　he　turned　toward　the　door。　〃It　's　growing　late；〃　he　said；　with　a　most　uncouth　attempt　to　feign　a　guileless　drowsiness。　〃I'll　to　bed；　captain；　when　I've　locked　up。　Good…night　to　ye！〃
  He　was　gone；　and　the　door　was　left　unlocked。　I　could　walk　out　of　that　gaol　as　I　could　have　walked　out　of　my　house　at　Weyanoke。　I　was　free；　but　should　I　take　my　freedom？　Going　back　to　the　light　of　the　fire　I　unfolded　the　paper　and　stared　at　it；　turning　its　contents　this　way　and　that　in　my　mind。　The　hand　…　but　once　had　I　seen　her　writing；　and　then　it　had　been　wrought　with　a　shell　upon　firm　sand。　I　could　not　judge　if　this　were　the　same。　Had　the　paper　indeed　come　from　her？　Had　it　not？　If　in　truth　it　was　a　message　from　my　wife；　what　had　befallen　in　a　few　hours　since　our　parting？　If　it　was　a　forger's　lie；　what　trap　was　set；　what　toils　were　laid？　I　walked　up　and　down；　and　tried　to　think　it　out。　The　strangeness　of　it　all；　the　choice　of　a　lonely　and　distant　hut　for　trysting　place；　that　pass　coming　from　a　sworn　officer　of　the　Company；　certain　things　I　had　heard　that　day　。　。　。　A　trap　。　。　。　and　to　walk　into　it　with　my　eyes　open。　。　。　。　An　you　hold　me　dear。　As　you　are　my　knight；　keep　this　tryst。　In　distress　and　peril。　。　。　e　what　might；　there　was　a　risk　I　could　not　run。
  I　had　no　weapons　to　assume；　no　preparations　to　make。　Gathering　up　the　gaoler's　gold　I　started　toward　the　door；　opened　it；　and　going　out　would　have　closed　it　softly　behind　me　but　that　a　booted　leg　thrust　across　the　jamb　prevented　me。　〃I　am　going　with　you；〃　said　Diccon　in　a　guarded　voice。　〃If　you　try　to　prevent　me；　I　will　rouse　the　house。〃　His　head　was　thrown　back　in　the　old　way；　the　old　daredevil　look　was　upon　his　face。　〃I　don't　know　why　you　are　　going；〃　he　declared；　〃but　there'll　be　danger；　anyhow。〃
  〃To　the　best　of　my　belief　I　am　walking　into　a　trap；〃　I　said。
  〃Then　it　will　shut　on　two　instead　of　one；〃　he　answered　doggedly。
  By　this　he　was　through　the　door；　and　there　was　no　shadow　of　turning　on　his　dark；　determined　face。　I　knew　my　man；　and　wasted　no　more　words。　Long　ago　it　had　grown　to　seem　the　thing　most　in　nature　that　the　hour　of　danger　should　find　us　side　by　side。
  When　the　door　of　the　firelit　room　was　shut；　the　gaol　was　in　darkness　that　might　be　felt。　It　was　very　still：　the　few　other　inmates　were　fast　asleep；　the　gaoler　was　somewhere　out　of　sight；　dreaming　with　open　eyes。　We　groped　our　way　through　the　passage　to　the　stairs；　noiselessly　descended　them；　and　found　the　outer　door　unchained；　unbarred；　and　slightly　ajar。
  When　I　had　laid　the　gold　beneath　the　pillory；　we　struck　swiftly　across　the　square；　being　in　fear　lest　the　watch　should　come　upon　us；　and　took　the　first　lane　that　led　toward　the　palisade。　Beneath　the　burning　stars　the　town　lay　stark　in　sleep。　So　bright　in　the　wintry　air　were　those　far…away　lights　that　the　darkness　below　them　was　not　great。　We　could　see　the　low　houses；　the　shadowy　pines；　the　naked　oaks；　the　sandy　lane　glimmering　away　to　the　river；　star…strewn　to　match　the　heavens。　The　air　was　cold；　but　exceedingly　clear　and　still。　Now　and　then　a　dog　barked；　or　wolves　howled　in　the　forest　across　the　river。　We　kept　in　the　shadow　of　the　houses　and　the　trees；　and　went　with　the　swiftness；　silence；　and　caution　of　Indians。
  The　last　house　we　must　pass　before　reaching　the　palisade　was　one　that　Rolfe　owned；　and　in　which　he　　lodged　when　business　brought　him　to　Jamestown。　It　and　some　low　outbuildings　beyond　it　were　as　dark　as　the　cedars　in　which　they　were　set；　and　as　silent　as　the　grave。　Rolfe　and　his　Indian　brother　were　sleeping　there　now；　while　I　stood　without。　Or　did　they　sleep？　Were　they　there　at　all？　Might　it　not　have　been　Rolfe　who　had　bribed　the　gaoler　and　procured　the　pass　from　West？　Might　I　not　find　him　at　that　strange　trysting　place？　Might　not　all　be　well；　after　all？　I　was　sorely　tempted　to　rouse　that　silent　house　and　demand　if　its　master　were　within。　I　did　it　not。　Servants　were　there；　and　noise　would　be　made；　and　time　that　might　be　more　precious　than　life…blood　was　flying　fast。　I　went　on；　and　Diccon　with　me。
  There　was　a　cabin　built　almost　against　the　palisade；　and　here　one　man　was　supposed　to　watch；　whilst　another　slept。　To…night　we　found　both　asleep。　I　shook　the　younger　to　his　feet；　and　heartily　cursed　him　for　his　negligence。　He　listened　stupidly；　and　read　as　stupidly；　by　the　light　of　his　lantern；　the　pass　which　I　thrust　beneath　his　nose。　Staggering　to　his　feet；　and　drunk　with　his　unlawful　slumber；　he　fumbled　at　the　fastenings　of　the　gate　for　full　three　minutes　before　the　ponderous　wood　finally　swung　open　and　showed　the　road　beyond。　〃It's　all　right；〃　he　muttered　thickly。　〃The　commander's　pass。　Good…night；　the　three　of　ye！〃
  〃Are　you　drunk　or　drugged？〃　I　demanded。　〃There　are　only　two。　It's　not　sleep　that　is　the　matter　with　you。　What　is　it？〃
  He　made　no　answer；　but　stood　holding　the　gate　open　and　blinking　at　us　with　dull；　unseeing　eyes。　Something　ailed　him　besides　sleep；　he　may　have　been　drugged；　for　aught　I　know。　When　we　had　gone　some　yards　from　the　gate；　we　heard　him　say　again；　in　precisely　　the　same　tone；　〃Good…night；　the　three　of　ye！〃　Then　the　gate　creaked　to；　and　we　heard　the　bars　drawn　across　it。
  Without　the　palisade　was　a　space　of　waste　land；　marsh　and　thicket；　tapering　to　the　narrow　strip　of　sand　and　scrub　joining　the　peninsula　to　the　forest；　and　here　and　there　upon　this　waste　ground　rose　a　mean　house；　dwelt　in　by　the　poorer　sort。　All　were　dark。　We　left　them　behind；　and　found　ourselves　upon　the　neck；　with　the　desolate　murmur　of　the　river　on　either　hand；　and　before　us　the　deep　blackness　of　the　forest。　Suddenly　Diccon　stopped　in　his　tracks　and　turned　his　head。　〃I　did　hear　something　then；〃　he　muttered。　〃Look；　sir！〃
  The　stars　faintly　lit　the　road　that　had　been　trodden　hard　and　bare　by　the　feet　of　all　who　came　and　went。　Down　this　road　something　was　coming　toward　us；　something　low　and　dark；　that　moved　not　fast；　and　not　slow；　but　with　a　measured　and　relentless　pace。　〃A　panther！〃　said　Diccon。
  We　watched　the　creature　with　more　of　curiosity　than　alarm。　Unless　brought　to　bay；　or　hungry；　or　wantonly　irritated；　these　great　cats　were　cowardly　enough。　It　would　hardly　attack　the　two　of　us。　Nearer　and　nearer　it　came；　showing　no　signs　of　anger　and　none　of　fear；　and　paying　no　attention　to　the　withered　branch　with　which　Diccon　tried　to　scare　it　off。　When　it　was　so　close　that　we　could　see　the　white　of　its　breast　it　stopped；　looking　at　us　with　large　unfaltering　eyes；　and　slightly　moving　its　tail　to　and　fro。
  〃A　tame　panther！〃　ejaculated　Diccon。　〃It　must　be　the　one　Nantauquas　tamed；　sir。　He　would　have　kept　it　somewhere　near　Master　Rolfe's　house。〃
  〃And　it　heard　us；　and　followed　us　through　the　gate；〃　I　said。　〃It　was　the　third　the　warder　talked　of。〃
  We　walked　on；　and　the　beast；　addressing　itself　to　motion；　followed　at　our　heels。　Now　and　then　we　looked　back　at　it；　but　we　feared　it　not。
  As　for　me；　I　had　begun　to　think　that　a　panther　might　be　the　least　formidable　thing　I　should　meet　that　night。　By　this　I　had　scarcely　any　hope　…　or　fear　…　that　I　should　find　her　at　our　journey's　end。　The　lonesome　path　that　led　only　to　the　night…time　forest；　the　deep　and　dark　river　with　its　mournful　voice；　the　hard；　bright；　pitiless　stars；　the　cold；　the　loneliness；　the　distance；　…　how　should　she　be　there？　And　if　not　she；　who　then？
  The　hut　to　which　I　had　been　directed　stood　in　an　angle　made　by　the　neck　and　the　main　bank　of　the　river。　On　one　side　of　it　was　the　water；　on　the　other　a　deep　wood。　The　place　had　an　evil　name；　and　no　man　had　lived　there　since　the　planter　who　had　built　it　hanged　himself　upon　its　threshold。　The　hut　was　ruinous：　in　the　summer　tall　weeds　grew　up　around　it；　and　venomous　snakes　harbored　beneath　its　rotted　and　broken　floor；　in　the　winter　the　snow　whitened　it；　and　the　wild　fowl　flew　screaming　in　and　out　of　the　open　door　and　the　windows　that　needed　no　barring。　To…night　the　door　was　shut　and　the　windows　in　some　way　obscured。　But　the　interstices　between　the　logs　showed　red；　the　hut　was　lighted　within；　and　some　one　was　keeping　tryst。
  The　stillness　was　deadly。　It　was　not　silence；　for　the　river　murmured　in　the　stiff　reeds；　and　far　off　in　the　midnight　forest　some　beast　of　the　night　uttered　its　cry；　but　a　hush；　a　holding　of　the　breath；　an　expectant　horror。　The　door；　warped　and　shrunken；　was　drawn　to；　but　was　not　fastened；　as　I　could　tell　by　the　unbroken　line　of　red　light　down　one　side　from　top　to　　bottom。　Making　no　sound；　I　laid　my　hand　upon　it；　pushed　it　open　a　little　way；　and　looked　within　the　hut。
  I　had　thought　to　find　it　empty　or　to　find　it　crowded。　It　was　neither。　A　torch　lit　it；　and　on　the　hearth　burned　a　fire。　Drawn　in　front　of　the　blaze　was　an　old　rude　chair；　and　in　it　sat　a　slight　figure　draped　from　head　to　foot　in　a　black　cloak。　The　head　was　bowed　and　hidden；　the　who