He felt her tense little fingers in the darkness searching for
his. Their hands were icy cold when the clasp came. Together they stood
in a niche of the wall near the chancel rail. It was dark and a cold
draft of air blew across their faces. He could not see, but there was
proof enough that she had opened the secret panel in the wall, and that
the damp, chill air came from the underground passage, which led to a
point outside the city walls.
"You go first," she whispered nervously. "I'm afraid. There is a lantern
on the steps and I have some matches. We'll light it as soon as--Oh,
what was that?"
"Don't be frightened," he said. "I think it was a rat."
"Good gracious!" she gasped. "I wouldn't go in there for the world."
"Do you mean to say that you intended to do so?" he asked eagerly.
"Certainly. Someone has to return the key to the outer gate. Oh, I
suppose I'll have to go in. You'll keep them off, won't you?"
plaintively. He was smiling in the darkness, thinking what a dear,
whimsical thing she was.
"With my life," he said softly.
"They're ten times worse than lions," she announced.
"You must not forget that you return alone," he said triumphantly.
"But I'll have the lantern going full blast," she said, and then allowed
him to lead her into the narrow passageway. She closed the panel and
then felt about with her foot until it located the lantern. In a minute
they had a light. "Now, don't be afraid," she said encouragingly. He
laughed in pure delight; she misunderstood his mirth and was conscious
of a new and an almost unendurable pang. He was filled with exhilaration
over the prospect of escape! Somehow she felt an impulse to throw her
arms about him and drag him back into the chapel, in spite of the ghost
of the game-warden's daughter.
"What is to prevent me from taking you with me?" he said intensely, a
mighty longing in his breast. She laughed but drew back uneasily.
"And live unhappily ever afterward?" said she. "Oh, dear me! Isn't this
a funny proceeding? Just think of me, Beverly Calhoun, being mixed up
in schemes and plots and intrigues and all that. It seems like a great
big dream. And that reminds me: you will find a raincoat at the foot of
the steps. I couldn't get other clothes for you, so you'll have to wear
the uniform. There's a stiff hat of Mr. Lorry's also. You've no idea how
difficult it is for a girl to collect clothes for a man. There doesn't
seem to be any real excuse for it, you know. Goodness, it looks black
ahead there, doesn't it? I hate underground things. They're so damp and
all that. How far is it, do you suppose, to the door in the wall?" She
was chattering on, simply to keep up her courage and to make her fairest
show of composure.