“Oh—Mr. Morton—it is only I!” Her words came in timid gasps. “I couldn’t sleep. I was restless and unhappy, and I thought I would sit outdoors a while. I am sorry if I have disturbed or startled you—I shall go right in!”
Morton threw away his lighted cigar and went towards the house.
“My dear lady, what is the matter?” With quick steps he reached her and took a limp little hand protectingly into his own. “You haven’t startled me. Of course—if you could not sleep—I know how stuffy the room is. Is the Princess asleep?”
“Yes, sound asleep, poor darling; but I couldn’t rest.”
“Come, Miss Helène, let me arrange a seat for you here on the porch. Sit down and rest yourself.” Suiting his action to his words, he removed the bundles from the bench, pulling his seat somewhat nearer to the edge of the flooring, spread the blankets that had covered the packages over the boards, and leading Helène to it gently urged her to sit down, and he carefully wrapped her in the rug.
“Now you can sit in comfort. I am sorry you must be here in the dark, but I do not dare to light the lanterns, and cannot give you a fire in the room—there is no chimney. In an hour or so our supper—or rather breakfast—will be ready and shortly after that we shall start. Do you see that light streak over the hillside, Comtesse? That is where our friend the moon will appear in sixty minutes or so, and then—we shall bid good-by to this gloomy place.”
“Oh, Mr. Morton, you are so kind. I ought not to add to your burden by my foolishness. Please, don’t mind me—don’t let me keep you from your intended work. I am making your duties only the more arduous.”
Morton gave vent to a hearty though subdued laugh. “I haven’t a thing to do but to wait until the fixed time arrives. I also couldn’t sleep. If Donald catches me he will scold me, too. So you see, Miss Helène, we are culprits together. It is a glorious night—it couldn’t be better for our plans if we had ordered it. Mihai will ride ahead. The horses are in fine form, and by daybreak we shall be fully twenty-five miles up the road. Then, after a good rest we will start out towards the saddle of the mountain range, and get there just in the right time. Why, to-morrow at this hour I will have you both in a nice cozy room at the best hotel in Raros. The morning after you will be in a warm coupé on the railroad, speeding on your way to your friends! It couldn’t have gone better in the piping times of peace!”
“You are very good,” murmured the girl. His confident cheerfulness was infectious. Fear and doubt had vanished, and she resolved to be obedient to his earlier request and refrain from worrying. But as to one thing she had made up her mind—she must know about her father.
“Mr. Morton—why doesn’t my father write where I am to meet him? And why didn’t he at least come to the border?”