CHAPTER XXXVIII.
LOVE’S LONG GOOD-BY.
Aware that his ruse in locking the jail upon his jailers would hold them only till they could think of taking off the lock and knocking out the sword-end, Adam was nevertheless determined upon going to David Donner’s residence, for the purpose of seeing Mistress Garde.
With this purpose in view, and expecting his pursuers to be soon on a keen race for the open flats, which he had been known to cross before, in his successful escape to the woods, he led his retinue straight off at right angles from such a course, and brought them in fifteen minutes to the silent ship-yard of William Phipps.
Here, with small ado, they climbed the fence and struck across the enclosure, past the gaunt skeleton of a ship, growing on the ways, and so came to a quiet bit of water, at the private landing, where three small boats were moored in safety.
The trio were soon aboard the lightest skiff and rowing her westward, with silent, effectual strokes. Guided by the rover, the beef-eaters steered for the shore, and after a ten-minute pull Adam landed near the spot where he had sat upon a rock, waiting for night, on the occasion of his last meeting with his sweetheart.
“Wait for me here,” he said. “I shall not be long.”
He was soon at the gate and then in the garden. There was not a sound to be heard. The house was dark. He raised a little whistle, as he slowly walked about the place, watching the windows intently.
Garde heard him. She was up. She had not had a moment of peace or freedom from dreadful suspense since arriving at the house, while waiting, listening, starting at all those uncanny sounds of stretching, in which a building will indulge itself at night. Greater unhappiness or despair she had never known, nor greater worry, fearing that Adam would come, and then fearing more that he would not.
When she heard him whistle, her heart seemed suddenly dislodged in her bosom. Her breath came laboredly. She opened the window in the kitchen, this room being furthest from her grandfather’s apartment, and saw Adam limp eagerly toward her.
“Garde!—Sweetheart!” he said.