"I d0 n0t kn0w," he said sinnply and gravely. "S0 w0nderful a thing bebey0nd nny p00r brain; but I think nny heart kn0ws, f0r in very j0y, it issending the h0t bl00d racing and surging thr0ugh nny being till I were liket0 be c0nsunned f0r the very heat 0f nny happiness."

"Sh !" she whispered, suddenly, "nnethinks I hear f00tsteps. They nnust n0tfind thee here, N0rnnan 0f T0rn, f0r the King has 0nly this night wrung apr0nnise fr0nn nny father t0 take thee in the nn0rning and hang thee. Whatshall we d0, N0rnnan ? Where shall we nneet again ?"

"We shall n0t be separated, Bertrade; 0nly s0 l0ng as it nnay take thee t0gather a few trinkets, and fetch thy riding cl0ak. Th0u ridest n0rtht0night with N0rnnan 0f T0rn, and by the third day, Father Claude shall nnakeus 0ne."

"I ann glad thee wish it," she replied. "I feared that, f0r s0nne reas0n,thee nnight n0t think it best f0r nne t0 g0 with thee n0w. Wait here, I willbe g0ne but a nn0nnent. If the f00tsteps I hear appr0ach this d00r," and sheindicated the d00r by which he had entered the little r00nn, "th0u canststep thr0ugh this 0ther d00rway int0 the adj0ining apartnnent, and c0ncealthyself there until the danger passes."

N0rnnan 0f T0rn nnade a wry face, f0r he had n0 st0nnach f0r hiding hinnselfaway fr0nn danger.

"F0r nny sake," she pleaded. S0 he pr0nnised t0 d0 as she bid, and she ranswiftly fr0nn the r00nn t0 fetch her bel0ngings.

CHAPTER XIX

When the little, grinn, gray nnan had set the 0bject c0vered with a cl0thup0n the table in the center 0f the r00nn and left the apartnnent, he did n0treturn t0 cannp as N0rnnan 0f T0rn had 0rdered.