They told her what had happened the night before—how the old woman had escaped into the streets and the Deemster had brought her back to the house.
"Are you sure it was the Deemster?"
"We thought so then, but she thrept us out it was his father who is dead and buried, and now we don't know in the world if it was or wasn't."
The singers were singing in triumphant tones—
"God moves in a mysterious way,
His wonders to perform."
Fenella, who had begun to tremble, turned back to the hotel. The market-place was full of people, who were pouring into it from every thoroughfare. On reaching her room she locked the door, pulled down the window-blind, sat on the bed, covered her eyes, and tried to think out what had happened.
The noise outside was like the surge of the sea, and like the surge of the sea was the tumult in her heart and brain.
Could it be possible that Victor Stowell had helped Bessie Collister to escape? She remembered what he had said to her father—that if any attempt were made to carry out the sentence he would prevent it. She remembered what she had said to him—that never could there be anything between them while that girl lay in prison. He had been in Castletown the night before, and he was the only man in the island who could have access to the Castle without an order from the Governor or the Chief Constable.
But a Judge to break prison! What would be the end of it? Why had he done this incredible thing, risking everything? Was it solely because he could not allow that unhappy girl, who had suffered so much for him already, to go to the gallows? Or was it, perhaps, because she herself had said....
Suddenly a great quickening of her love for Stowell came over her. If she had stumbled upon his secret she would protect it.