"My dearest," he said to his wife, "here is the gaoler come to turn you out again. I will ask him—" He broke off as the man stepped in.
"Mr. Gaoler," he said, "my wife would speak alone with you a moment." (He nodded and winked at his wife, as if to tell her that this was the time to give him the money.)
"Will you leave Mistress Manners here for a minute or two while my wife speaks with you in the passage?"
Then Marjorie understood that she had been right.
The man who held the keys nodded without speaking.
"Then, my dearest wife," said Thomas, embracing her all of a sudden, and simultaneously drawing her towards the door, "we will leave you to speak with the man. He will come back for Mistress Manners directly."
"Oh! my Thomas!" wailed the girl, clinging to him.
"There, there, my dearest. And you will come and see me again as soon as you can get the order."
* * * * *
The instant the door was closed he came up to Marjorie and his face looked ghastly.