The priest laid his hands on the rope and found that it swung slack in the air; he hauled it up and twisted it again round his waist.

As he passed the door of the cell he pushed it to and replaced the bars and bolts, and then with his charge regained the portion of the castle inhabited by the family.
A few vigorous strokes took Archie across the moat, and an hour later he was deep in the heart of the forest.

Before morning broke he was far beyond the risk of pursuit; and, taking the bearings of the surrounding hills, he found himself, after some walking, at the spot where he had left the royal party.

As he had expected, it was deserted; he, however, set out on the traces of the party, and that night overtook them at their next encampment.
With the reticence natural to young lovers Archie felt a disinclination to speak of what had happened, or of the services which Marjory MacDougall had rendered him.

As it was naturally supposed that he had lost his way in the woods on the previous day, and had not reached the encampment in the morning, until after they had started, few questions were asked, and indeed the thoughts of the whole party were occupied with the approaching separation which the night before they had agreed was absolutely necessary.