“Yes, sir. Bird’s flown,” replied the sergeant.
“Well, search from top to bottom, from cellar to leads. That’s the way he must have gone.”
“If it wasn’t a false alarm, sir,” said the man respectfully. “I never had much faith in any spies.”
“Be on your guard; he may be here,” said the officer. “Now search.”
The sergeant went off promptly with his men, muttering to himself:
“And nobody’s better pleased than me. Nicely we should have been groaned at if we had found him. That is, if we had taken him; but he’d have fought like the man he is. Well, I’m glad he’s gone.”
“I Saved, Frank, saved!” whispered Lady Gowan, as they parted on reaching the Palace.
“Yes, mother, saved. Oh, don’t look like that!”
She kissed him hurriedly, and entered her apartment, to hurry thence to the Princess’s chamber; while Frank made for his own, with his head feeling as if it were full of buzzing sounds, and ready to ask himself if all that he had gone through was not part of a feverish dream.