Still he waited, late on into the night, till the monastery bells chimed for the last time; but there was no sign of her coming.
The next day passed as that had done.

Felicita, then, had deserted him! He felt so sure of Phebe that he never doubted that she had not received his message.

He had left only one thread of communication between himself and home--a slender thread--and Felicita had broken it.

There was now no hope for him, no chance of learning what had befallen all his dear ones, unless he ran the risk of discovery, and ventured back to England.
But for Felicita and his children, he said to himself, it would be better to go back, and pay the utmost penalty he owed to the broken laws of his country.

No hardships could be greater than those he had already endured; no separation from companionship could be more complete.