"At ten o'clock to-night the warder will visit you. He will be alone. You must bind and gag him. Means to do this will be found in his pockets. You must then leave the tower and make your way to the angle in the boundary wall nearest your prison. You will there find a rope hanging. On the other side of the wall you will find friends." I had never hoped for such a message as this. I had expected to be shortly visited by Lawyer Hendy, but the thought that any one had been planning for my escape had never occurred to me. Who my friends might be I knew not, but they had evidently bribed Jenkins, at least such was my thought. For an hour I was jubilant, but at the end of the time doubts began to cross my mind. Was this some ruse of the Killigrews? Should I escape only to tell Otho what I had promised him and then be captured by the prison authorities? Again and again I looked at the handwriting. It was altogether strange to me; but it was evidently the work of a man. Who then but Otho would take such a step? And yet on reconsideration I thought he would know me better than to believe I should answer his questions under such circumstances. He had promised to prove my innocence to Lord Falmouth, and to obtain from him a written warrant for my liberty. No, no; it must be some one other than Otho. But who? Uncle Anthony! No sooner had the thought of him occurred to me than all my doubts departed. The mysterious old hermit and storyteller had heard of my condition, he had come to Launceston, and by methods peculiar to himself had obtained an influence over Jenkins. Again I read the letter, and I felt sure I saw his hand and mind in every word. Doubtless, too, he would be able to tell me much about the maid Nancy which I desired to know, and perchance give me power over the Killigrews. He had doubtless formed a plan of action and provided means to carry it out. I could have laughed aloud, and even then I thought I could see the grim smile upon the old man's face and the curious twinkle of his deep-set eyes. Eagerly I waited for ten o'clock to come. Never did minutes seem to drag along so wearily, never had the silence of my prison seemed so oppressive. After much weary waiting, a clock began to strike. I counted the strokes eagerly. It had struck ten. It was the church clock which struck, and I knew that the jail was ordered by the time thereby indicated. For as all who have been to Launceston know, the parish church is situated near the castle, and is of rare beauty, while the sound of the bells seems to come from the very heart of the ancient fortress. Knowing that the hour mentioned in the letter had arrived, therefore, I was, if possible, more eagerly expectant than ever. My heart thumped loudly at every sound, and in my heart I cursed the wailing of the wind among the trees, because I thought it kept me from hearing the first approach of my jailer.