"Seal it," said Tom; "because it may pass through the hands of another person, after it leaves mine, and before it reaches Miss Torrens." This suggestion was instantaneously complied with; and Rainford secured the letter about his person. "Now," he continued, after a moment's reflection, "do you proceed with the chaise down the lane, and stop as near the cottage as is consistent with prudence. I shall retrace my way there at once. Fear nothing—but wait patiently at the place where you pull up, until I make my appearance." Villiers promised to fulfil these instructions; and Rainford, having taken a temporary leave of him, remounted his horse and galloped towards Torrens Cottage. The highwayman had his plan of proceeding ready digested by the time the white walls of the building, rendered particularly conspicuous in the starlight, met his view. Alighting from his horse at a distance of about a hundred yards, he tied the animal to a tree, and then repaired towards the dwelling. Having reconnoitred the premises, he speedily discovered the stable; and, to his infinite joy, a light streamed from one of the windows of that building. Leaping over the palings which separated the kitchen-garden from the adjacent fields, Tom Rain proceeded to the stable; and there, as he had anticipated, he found John Jeffreys, the groom, busily employed with his master's horses. John was alone; and his surprise was great, when, upon being tapped on the shoulder, he turned round and beheld the highwayman. "Silence!" said Tom in a whisper; "we have no time to lose in idle chatter. Here's five guineas for you; and you must get this note conveyed secretly to Miss Torrens—Adelais, the eldest—you know." "It shall be done, sir," replied Jeffreys. "I am already far in the good graces of the housemaid; the cook is old and deaf; and so there's no fear of my not being able to succeed." "Good. And you will bring me the answer up the lane, where I shall wait for you." "And how can you read it, when you get it?" demanded Jeffreys. "The night is not quite clear enough for that." "The answer will be a verbal one—_yes_ or _no_," replied Tom. Jeffreys promised that no delay should occur on his part; and Rainford retraced his steps to the spot where he had left his horse. Many novelists would here pause for the honest but somewhat tedious purpose of detailing all the reflections which passed through the mind of Rainford during the mortal half-hour that elapsed ere the sounds of footsteps upon the hard soil announced the approach of some person. But as we do not wish either to spin out our narrative with dry material, or to keep the reader in any unnecessary suspense, we will at once declare that at the expiration of the aforesaid thirty minutes John Jeffreys made his appearance at the appointed spot. "What news?" demanded Tom impatiently. "All right——" "And the answer?" "Is _yes_."