“Heaven help me, Gerard, I dare not,” she cried. Her nerve failed at the look of yawning darkness, and when at the same moment a great knocking sounded against the cell door, she fell on her knees on the floor and buried her face in her hands. “Come, Gabrielle, courage,” said Gerard. “Trust yourself to me and all will be well.” “I cannot, I cannot, I dare not. I cannot die that way. I am a coward, Gerard. But do you go! Oh go, if you love me.” “That I will not,” he answered and climbed back into the cell, to the dismay of Pascal and his companions who were watching below. Then the clamour at the door ceased. “What does it mean, Pierre?” asked the Governor. “The lock has jammed, my lord,” was the reply. “I have known it so once or twice before and reported it. With your lordship’s leave I can get another key that may open it.” “Quick then, man, quick. And have up some men with bars to break the lock in lest you fail.” “His entrance will be your sentence of death, Gerard,” whispered Gabrielle. “When roused he is too recklessly desperate in his fury to let aught stand in his way.” “He will not dare to harm me, Gabrielle,” he answered calmly. “When he finds that I have come to rescue you, he will kill you. He would do it were it the King of France himself who stood in his way.” They heard the Governor muttering to himself as he fumbled at the lock impatiently while awaiting Pierre’s return; and then a plan leapt into Gerard’s thoughts. “We will see,” he said. “Quick, Gabrielle! Rouse yourself, my dearest. I have a plan that will yet save us both. Where is the knife you brought? He shall come in.” “What would you do, Gerard?” she whispered, in a voice of awe, rising and peering into his face in the dim light. “Not murder; but I have a plan. Stand over there in the shadow and be ready with the knife when I call to you. Give me your cloak. Quick, now, for the love of God. Seconds are priceless.” Gabrielle slipped off the cloak and handed it to him, and stood back where he had directed. “When I have moved the pallet stand as still as death, till I call to you.” Making as little noise as possible he wrenched the pallet from the door and placed it ready for use again, and holding the cloak in readiness took his stand behind the door. As he did so he heard Pierre in the distance. The Governor tried the door again then and, finding it yield, pushed it open and entered the cell, all unsuspicious of any danger. In a moment Gerard threw a cloak over his head and, smothering his cry of alarm in the folds of the cloak, dashed him violently to the ground. Then leaving his prisoner for a moment he thrust the bed once more against the door just in time to prevent those outside from entering, or indeed seeing what had occurred. The Governor finding himself free, however, began to shout for help, when Gerard sprang upon him again, gripped him by the throat, and clapped a hand roughly over his mouth.