"I can't tell you much. You know I can swim well." She nodded silently. "Well, I rose after my dive and let the current carry me away till I swam ashore three miles away, and I've been in hiding in one of the zorns." "Oh, my brother?" she answered. "Waiting till it was safe to come out." "But Harry!" she paused; "we--my father--we all believed you dead. How could you be so--" She stopped. "Cruel?" he said firmly. "Wouldn't it have been more cruel to be dragged off to prison and disgrace you more?" "But--" "Hush! I tell you I have been in hiding. They think me dead?" "Yes; they found you--" "Hush, I tell you. I have no time to explain. Let them go on thinking me dead." "But Harry?" she cried; "my poor broken-hearted father--Madelaine." "Hold your tongue!" he said in a broken voice, "unless you want to drive me mad." He paused, for his face was working; but at last with a stamp he controlled his emotion. "Look here," he said hoarsely. "I had no one to come to but you. Will you help me?" "Harry?" she whispered reproachfully, as she clung to him more firmly. "Hah! that's better," he said. "Now don't talk, only listen. But are you sure that we shall not be overheard?" "Quite, dear, we are alone." "Then listen. I have thought all this out. I've been a blackguard; I did knock old Van Heldre down." Louise moaned. "But once more I tell you I'm not a thief. I did not rob him, and I did not go to rob him. I swear it." "I believe you, Harry," she whispered. "Well, I'll tell you what I'm going to do." She nodded again, unable to speak, but clung to him spasmodically, for everything seemed to swim round before her eyes. "I am penniless. There, that proves to you I did not rob poor old Van. I want money--enough to escape over to France--to get to London first. Then I shall change my name. Don't be alarmed," he said tremblingly, as he felt Louise start. "I shall give up the name of Vine, but I'm not going to call myself des Vignes, or any of that cursed folly." "Harry!" "All right, dear. It made me mad to think of it all. I've come to my senses now, and I'm going over the channel to make a fresh start and to try and prove myself a man. Some day when I've done this father shall know that I am alive, and perhaps then he may take me by the hand and forgive me." "Harry, let me send for him--let me tell him now." "No," said the young man sternly. "He loves you! He will forgive you and bless God for restoring you once more, as I do, my darling. Oh, Harry, Harry! My mother!" "Hush," he whispered with his voice trembling as he held her to him and stroked her face. "Hush, sis, hush!" "Then I may send for him?" "No, no, no?" he cried fiercely. "I am little better than a convict. He must not, he shall not know I am alive." "But Harry, dearest--"