"If they should come back it would be maddening," he reflected, and as the thought came to him he looked out of the window. But nowhere were the two men visible. They had evidently no fear of his escape. "They are fools! They don't know me!" said the outlaw to himself. He resumed his efforts to cut the cord. It was slow work, but perseverance, even in a bad cause, is apt to be crowned with success, and this was the case here. After twenty minutes, the last strand parted, and, with a feeling of relief, John Fox stretched out his hands, free once more. His feet were still tied, but with his hands at liberty, there was very little difficulty in cutting the rope that tied them. In less that five minutes the outlaw rose to his feet a free man. He smiled--a smile of exultation and triumph. "My Quaker friend will be surprised to find me gone. He will understand John Fox a little better. He will have to wait a little longer for his thousand dollars." John Fox was himself again, but for the first time in ten years, except when he was the temporary tenant of a jail, he was unarmed. "What has that fellow done with my revolver?" he asked himself. "If it is any where in the house I won't go off without it." Half an hour earlier and he would have been content with his liberty. Now he wanted his revolver, and his thoughts recurred to the money which the farmer had drawn that morning from the bank. It was five hundred dollars, as Luke had rather incautiously let out. John Fox was not without hopes of securing both. The coast was clear, and only Mrs. Mason was left in the house. He might terrify her, and so secure the articles he had set his heart upon. But, clearly, there was no time to be lost, as Luke and the farmer might return at any minute. The outlaw went down stairs, stepping as lightly as he could. On the lower floor Mrs. Mason was in the kitchen, preparing the evening meal. She had at first been reluctant to remain alone in the house with the outlaw, but Luke had reassured her by the statement that he was securely bound, and could not possibly get away. So, upon the whole, she was calm, and had no fear of being molested. She turned from the stove at the sound of a footfall. There was the notorious outlaw standing in the doorway with an ironical smile upon his face. The terrified woman sank back into a chair and regarded John Fox with a scared look. "_You_ here!" she exclaimed. "Yes, Mrs. Mason, it is I." "How did you get free? My husband told me that you were bound." "So I was, and I will do your husband the justice to say that he understands his business. I had trouble to break loose." "How ever could you have done it?" asked the amazed woman. "I won't go into details, for there isn't time. Now listen to me and obey my commands. Your Quaker friend took my revolver away. I want you to get it and give it to me." "I can't do it, sir, for I don't know where it is." Mrs. Mason's tone was a terrified one.