recalled Miss Plympton's fears, and regretted when too late that she had
trusted herself within these gates. And now what the porter had told her
showed her in one instant the full depth of his design. He evidently
intended to keep her away from all communication with the outside world.
And she--what could she do? How could she let Miss Plympton know? How
could she get out? No doubt Wiggins would contrive to keep all avenues
of escape closed to her as this one was. Even the walls would be
watched, so that she should not clamber over.

Among the most disheartening of her discoveries was the incorruptible
fidelity of the servants of Wiggins. Twice already had she tried to
bribe them, but on each occasion she had failed utterly. The black
servant and the porter were each alike beyond the reach of her gold.

Her mind was now agitated and distressed. In her excitement she could
not yet return to the Hall, but still hoped that she might escape,
though the hope was growing faint indeed. She felt humiliated by the
defeat of her attempts upon the honesty of the servants. She was
troubled by the thought of her isolation, and did not know what might be
best to do.

One thing now seemed evident, and this was that she had a better chance
of escaping at this time than she would have afterward. If she was to
be watched, the outlook could not yet be as perfect or as well organized
as it would afterward be. And among the ways of escape she could think
of nothing else than the wall. That wall, she thought, must certainly
afford some places which she might scale. She might find some gate in a
remote place which could afford egress. To this she now determined to
devote herself.