"You are a loyal friend!" she said, and there was that within the words
to make me glad, whatever fate the dawn should have in store for me.
"You always think of others first; you think of others now, when--when
death--Oh, Monsieur John! what can I do for you? Say quick! The man is
coming to the door!"

"Now I have told you this, there is but one other thing, Margery dear;
one little thing that will not let me die in peace. If I might have ten
words with Richard Jennifer--"

She left me in a fever-flutter of excitement, whipped to the door, and
had a word with him who stood without. I heard the chink of coin, and
then she hastened back to me, all eagerness and tremulous impatience.

"Tell me--tell me instantly what I must do. I am not afraid. Shall I
ride down to Jennifer House and fetch Dick here?"

"He is a prisoner, and if he were not, they would not let him see me.
Besides, I would not let you go on such an errand. And yet--God help me,
Margery! there is many an innocent life hanging on this; the lives of
helpless women and little children. Have you ever a messenger to send, a
man who will risk his life and can be trusted fully?"

"Yes, yes!" she cried. "Write it down for me and Dick shall have it.
Quick; for Our Lady's sake, be quick about it! _O Sancta Maria, mater.
Dei_--"

The low impassioned chant of the Roman litany was ringing in my ears as
I sat down to the table to write my message to Richard Jennifer. There
were quills and an ink-pot at hand, but no paper. I felt mechanically in