He drove the knife in all round and found that it passed in without difficulty; and as he examined the place, he found to his great delight that some time or other there had evidently been a staple let into the slab, probably to hold a great ring for raising the stone, and undoubtedly this was a way down to the vaults below.
What he wanted now was a good supply of straw to lay over that part of the floor to conceal any efforts he might make for raising the stone, and meanwhile dusting some of the ashes and half-burned straw-chaff over the spot, he awaited Allstone’s next appearance with no little anxiety.
Towards afternoon he heard steps, and evidently his jailer was coming; but to his surprise, instead of Allstone being accompanied by two or three men, his companion was Sir Henry Norland, who had evidently just returned from a journey.
“Ah, my dear Hilary,” he exclaimed, “I have just been hearing of your narrow escape. My dear boy, I cannot tell you how sorry I am. You are not in the least hurt, I hope?”
“No, Sir Henry, not in body,” said the young man distantly; “but you see all my prison furniture has been destroyed. Will you give orders that I am to be supplied with a little more straw?”
“I gave orders that a mattress and blankets, with a table and chairs, should be brought here before I went out,” said Sir Henry, “with a few other things. Good gracious! I had no idea the fire had been so bad. Did it burn everything?”
“My furniture was what I asked to be replaced—a little straw,” said Hilary bitterly. “I had nothing else.”
Sir Henry turned frowning to the man, and said a few words in a low but commanding tone to him which made him scowl; but he went off growling something to himself in a sulky manner.
“My dear Hilary,” said Sir Henry, “I did not know you had been so badly treated. I am so much engaged upon His Majesty’s business that I am afraid I have neglected you sadly.”
“Indeed, Sir Henry? And now you have come to say that I am at liberty to go free and attend to His Majesty’s business?” said Hilary with a sarcastic ring in his words.