“Here!” said milady, placing a bag full of louis in Felton’s hands. Felton took the bag and threw it to the foot of the wall.

“Now,” said he, “will you come?”

“I am here.”

Milady climbed on a chair, and leaned the upper part of her body through the window. She saw the young officer suspended over the abyss by a rope ladder. For the first time a feeling of terror reminded her that she was a woman. The dark space frightened her.

“I expected this,” said Felton.

“Oh, it’s nothing, it’s nothing!” said milady; “I will descend with my eyes shut.”

“Have you confidence in me?” said Felton.

“Can you ask me such a question?”

“Put your two hands together. Cross them; that’s right!”

Felton fastened her two wrists together with a handkerchief, and then tied a cord over the handkerchief.

“What are you doing?” asked milady in surprise.

“Put your arms round my neck, and fear nothing.”

“But I shall make you lose your balance, and we shall both be dashed to pieces.”

“Don’t be afraid. I am a sailor.”

Not a second was to be lost. Milady put her arms round Felton’s neck, and let herself slip out of the window.

Felton began to descend the ladder slowly, step by step. In spite of the weight of their bodies, the blast of the hurricane made them swing to and fro in the air.

“Now,” said Felton, “we are safe!”

Milady breathed a deep sigh and fainted.

Felton continued to descend. When he reached the bottom of the ladder, and found no more support for his feet, he clung to it with his hands. At length, coming to the last round, he hung by his hands and touched the ground. He stooped down, picked up the bag of money, and took it in his teeth.

Then he seized milady in his arms, and set off briskly in the direction opposite to the one the patrol had taken. He soon left the beat, climbed across the rocks, and when he reached the shore of the sea, whistled.

A similar signal replied to him, and five minutes after a boat appeared, rowed by four men.

“To the sloop,” said Felton, “and give way lively.”

A black speck was rocking on the sea. It was the sloop.

While the boat was advancing with all the speed its four oarsmen could give it, Felton untied the cord, and then the handkerchief that bound milady’s hands together.