"Steve!" he exclaimed. "What has happened, and who is this with you?" Before he could answer. Prue stepped forward and throwing off her veil replied, "Your wife!" "Lady Prudence!" he cried, scarcely believing the evidence of his senses. "In the name of Heaven, what brings you here? Why are you so pale and excited? Something terrible has happened?" "No; but will happen unless you instantly escape." She came into the room and closed the door, leaving Steve outside. "Oh! Robin, Robin," she cried, clasping her hands and looking at him with reproachful eyes, "I know all that happened last night. How could you be so mad? You can not hope to escape again if you are arrested for this." "Indeed," said Robin grimly, "if I am taken this time, ’twill be worse than hanging! But I’ll never be taken alive—" "There is time to escape," she urged. "Your retreat is known and you will be arrested to-night. Lord Beachcombe has discovered where he was brought yester night—" "Ah!" said Robin, with a bitter smile. "I should have taken extra precautions against the bloodhound instinct of hatred! And so, Dear Heart," he went on, in a very different tone, "you came to warn me of danger? ’Twas very noble of you, for if you had left me to my fate, in a few hours you might have been a free woman." Prue burst into tears. "Oh! you are cruel, cruel," she sobbed. "I do not want freedom—that way." "I believe it," he said, taking her hand and pressing it to his lips. "Do not grieve, my hunted life is not worth one of those tears—" "But hasten," she interrupted, listening attentively and holding up her hand to silence him. "I know who you are and that you are concerned in Jacobite plots. Soldiers will surround the house and you will be arrested and taken to the Tower as a traitor. You have very little time to escape—" He glanced at some papers on the table and began to gather them up and conceal them about him. In doing this, he uncovered a jewel-case of purple velvet embroidered in gold with the royal arms. Prue uttered a faint shriek and covered her eyes, as if to shut out the sight that confirmed her worst fears. "Oh! Robin!" she gasped. "The queen’s necklace—!" "Was it the queen’s?" he replied carelessly. "Well, now it is yours, if you care to have it." He opened the case and displayed the diamonds flashing like a string of fire. "’My faith! the gems are gorgeous; they will look well on the peerless neck of my beautiful Prue." "_I_ wear the queen’s diamonds! You must be mad! What possessed you to take them? Oh, I hoped so that it was a mistake and that you were innocent of this."