They ran to the kitchen, and made for a small cellar opening off it. Hardly were they in it when they heard him re-enter and go up the stair. The moment he was safely beyond them, they crept out, and keeping close to the wall of the house, went round to the back of it, and through the thicket to a footpath near, which led to the highway. It was a severe trial to Cosmo’s strength, now that the excitement of adventure had relaxed, and left him the weaker. Again and again Joan had to urge him on, but as soon as she judged it safe, she made him sit, and supported him. “I believe,” she said, “that wretched man of his has put him up to it. Constantine has found out something. I would not for the world he should learn all! You don’t know--you are far too good to know what he would think--yes, and tell me to my face! It was not an easy life with my father, Cosmo, but I would rather be with him now, wherever he is, than go on living in that house with my brother.” “What had we better do?” said Cosmo, trying to hide his exhaustion. “I am going to take you to the Jermyns’. They are the only friends I have. Julia will be kind to you for my sake. I will tell them all about it. Young Dr. Jermyn knows already.” Alas, it was like being let down out of paradise into purgatory! But when we cannot stay longer in paradise, we must, like our first parents, make the best of our purgatory. “You will be able to come and see me, will you not, Joan,” he said sadly. “Yes, indeed!” she answered. “It will be easier in some ways than before. At home I never could get rid of the dread of being found out. As soon as I get you safe in, I must hurry home. Oh, dear! how shall I keep clear of stories! Only, when you are safe, I shall not care so much.” In truth, although she had seemed to fear all for herself, her great dread had been to hear Cosmo abused. “What you must have gone through for me!” said Cosmo. “It makes me ache to think of it!” “It will be only pleasant to look back upon, Cosmo,” returned Joan with a sad smile. “But oh for such days again as we used to have on the frozen hills! There are the hills again every winter, but will the old days ever come again, Cosmo?” “The old days never come again,” answered Cosmo. “But do you know why, Joan?” “No,” murmured Joan, very sadly. “Because they would be getting in the way of the new better days, whose turn it is,” replied Cosmo. “You tell God, Joan, all about it; he will give us better days than those. To some, no doubt, it seems absurd that there should be a great hearing Life in the world; but it is what you and I need so much that we don’t see how, by any possibility, to get on without it! It cannot well look absurd to us! And if you should ever find you can_not_ pray any more, tell me, and I will try to help you. I don’t think that time will ever come to me. I can’t tell--but always hitherto, when I have seemed to be at the last gasp, things have taken a turn, and it has grown possible to go on again.”