A few minutes later, the Governor entered in his dressing-gown over his pyjamas and with his bare feet in his heelless slippers. And then the Attorney told him—the young woman who was to have been executed that morning had escaped.
"Good God, no!"
"Only too true, Sir. Colonel Farrell has had an urgent telegram from his Inspector at Castletown."
"When did it happen?"
"During the night. The jailer says he locked her up at eleven and when he opened the cell at five the prisoner was gone."
"Where is the jailer?"
"At the Castle still," said the Chief Constable, "but I've told the police to send him up immediately."
The Governor rose from the seat into which he had dropped and walked to and fro.
"Such a blow to the authority of the law—the escape of a prisoner on the eve of her execution!" said the Attorney.
"Such a handle to the disorderly elements, too!" said the Chief Constable.