She stood holding both his hands for a moment and hesitated, glancing at the guard from the corner of her eye. He was watching with steady stolid business-like stare. She must play her part to the end carefully and boldly.
"I've only this moment just to say good-bye, Boy," she faltered. "I promised not to stay long." Slowly her arms stole round his neck, and the blood rushed to his face in scarlet waves.
"Love has made death glorious, dearest," he breathed tenderly. "God bless you for coming, for all you have done for me, and for all this holy hour means to my soul—you understand."
The tears were streaming down her cheeks now. The plan might fail after all—the gallows was there in the jail yard lifting its stark arms in the lowering sky. She pressed his hands hysterically:
"Yes, yes, I understand."
She turned and hurried to the guard:
"Take me out quickly. I'm going to faint. I can't endure it."
The guard caught her arm, supporting her as she made her way to the street.
In fifteen minutes she had returned to the dressmaker's and from there called another carriage and went home.
The guard had no sooner turned his back than Ned Vaughan quickly opened and read the precious message which gave the plan of escape.