Some one undid the bonds and helped her to the ground.
All of these things were apparent from the vantage ground of the upper story window, but Josephine, unwilling to play at spying, saw none of it.

At last, however, an exclamation from Jeanne caused her to hasten to the window.

"_Mon Dieu_, Madame! Madame, look--it is that officer--it is Monsieur le Capitaine Carlisle! Look! why then--" [Illustration: An exclamation from Jeanne caused her to hasten.] With no more than a glance, her mistress turned, flung open the door of the room, hurried down the stair, passed out of the hall and so fronted these newcomers at the gallery.

They stood silent as they saw her.

She herself was first to speak.
"What are you doing with that woman ?" she demanded.
They all stood in silence, looking at her, at this apparition of a woman--a young and beautiful woman--here at Tallwoods, where none had known of any woman these many years.