By this time Gurn's accomplice was in a state of such nervous tension that he could hardly restrain himself from catching hold of one or other of the warders whom he saw at their work, and asking them questions. How could the escape of so important a prisoner as the man who had murdered Lord Beltham create so little excitement as this? Nibet longed to rush up the flights of stairs to number 127 and interrogate the warder who had gone on duty after himself, and whom he was now about to relieve in turn. He must surely know all about it. But it would not do to create suspicion, and Nibet had sufficient self-control left to go upstairs at his usual leisurely pace. Outwardly calm and steady, he reached his post just as the clock was striking twelve; he was ever punctuality itself, and he was due on duty at noon. "Well, Colas," he said to his colleague, "here I am; you can go now." "Good!" said the warder. "I'll be off at once. I'm on again at six to-night," and he moved away. "Everything all right?" Nibet enquired, in a tone he tried to make as casual as possible, but that trembled a little nevertheless. "Quite," said Colas, perfectly naturally, and he went away. * * * * * Nibet could contain himself no longer, and the next second he threw caution to the winds: rushing to Gurn's cell he flung the door open. Gurn was there, sitting on the foot of his bed with his legs crossed and a note-book on his knees, making notes with the quietest attention: he scarcely appeared to notice Nibet's violent invasion. "Oh! So you are there?" stammered the astonished warder. Gurn raised his head and looked at the warder with a cryptic gaze. "Yes, I'm here." All manner of notions crowded through Nibet's brain, but he could find words for none of them. Had the plot been discovered before Gurn had had time to get away, or had a trap been laid for himself through the medium of one of the prisoners to test his own incorruptibility? Nibet went white, and leaned against the wall for support. At last Gurn spoke again, reassuring him with a smile. "Don't look so miserable," he said. "I am here. That is a matter of absolutely no importance. We will suppose that nothing passed between us yesterday, and--that's an end to it." "So you haven't gone, you didn't go?" said Nibet again. "No," Gurn replied; "since you are so interested, all I need say is that I was afraid to risk it at the last minute."