"Yes, darling Jack!"
"With my friend Dick—and Hercules—and old Tom?"
"Yes! yes!" replied Mrs. Weldon, putting her head down to hide her tears.
"Has papa written to you?" asked little Jack.
"No, my love."
"Then you are going to write to him, mother?"
"Yes—yes—perhaps!" replied Mrs. Weldon.
And without knowing it, little Jack entered directly into his mother's thoughts. To avoid answering him further, she covered him with kisses.
It must be stated that another motive of some value was joined to the different reasons that had urged Mrs. Weldon to resist Negoro's injunctions. Perhaps Mrs. Weldon had a very unexpected chance of being restored to liberty without her husband's intervention, and even against Negoro's will. It was only a faint ray of hope, very vague as yet, but it was one.
In fact, a few words of conversation, overheard by her several days before, made her foresee a possible succor near at hand—one might say a providential succor.