silent. Rose stood discreetly at the window; but finding that the lovers
had no more to say to each other, she by and by broke silence.

"We shall not leave you to suffer for us," she said. "Carteret is
without scruple and without mercy. As a friend of Michael's, he will
seek every loophole for your ruin. I have already seen the Advocate
Falle. He says that you will be tried for murder next week, and that if
Carteret presides you are no better than a dead man."

"To die for you and Marguerite is not so hard," said the young man, with
a smile.

"You shall do nothing of the sort," cried Rose, warmly, "listen to me.
The day is setting in for rain and storm. At five in the afternoon it
will be dark. Then one of us will come back with John Le Vesconte, of La
Rosière, who is your match in stature, and who will be admitted on
account of his being of kin to us. He will change clothes with you, and
will remain in your stead while you come out of prison in his. He is in
favour with Carteret, and will be quit for a fine, which I will gladly
pay."

As she stood, warm and bright with zeal, and intellect flushing in her
eye, Alain thought that, with all his troubles, her exiled lord was a
happy man. But he had to think of his own case. Placing the broken form
of Marguerite tenderly in a chair, he stood up and looked full in Rose's
face, his hands joined, almost in an attitude of prayer.

"Do not tempt me," he said, in a low, but determined voice. "I will not
put another in my place to save my life, nor even to please Michael
Lempriere's wife. Moreover, John Valpy, the jailor here--who is somewhat