That night he lurked once more in the shrubbery. He had been there nearly every night, hopeful that Suzanne would pass again, but not until tonight did she come. The tall figure, swathed almost to the eyes in a heavy cloak, came down the terrace to the walk, and John whistled low a note of a French folksong. He had merely hoped that she would stop a moment or two to listen, and the little device succeeded. She paused and looked at the black mass of the shrubbery.
"Suzanne! Suzanne!" called John, his voice showing all the intenseness of his anxiety.
"Monsieur Scott," she said in a loud whisper.
"Yes, Suzanne, here behind the bushes! I must have word with you!"
Silently she stepped into the impenetrable shadows and John eagerly seized her hand.
"Your mistress, Mademoiselle Julie," he whispered eagerly, "she does not break down with the suspense and anxiety? She still hopes?"
"You need not fear for her courage, Monsieur Scott. Did I not tell you that she had a heart of steel, even the same as that of her great brother. I should not tell it to you, but she has never despaired since you came."
John's fingers closed convulsively upon the large muscular hand of Suzanne and in the darkness the woman's grim face relaxed into a smile.
"You are holding my hand not that of Mademoiselle Julie," she said.
"Your words bring me such joy, Suzanne, that I forgot, but I must speak to your mistress."
"You cannot. It is impossible. She is watched more closely than ever."
"But there is news that she must know! Then you must tell it to her!"
"What news? You surely don't mean that they will try her on this ridiculous charge of being a spy!"
"No, not that, Suzanne, but they're preparing to send her and you away."
"And glad we both will be to leave this hateful castle of Zillenstein."
"But it's not that you will fare better. There will be no chance of freedom now. You are to be sent into the higher mountains in the wilderness to a hunting lodge belonging to Auersperg. You will be hidden from all but a few of his most trusted followers."
"Then we're not afraid. We shall even be glad to go there, anywhere from this terrible place. We do not fear the woods, my mistress and I. I can think they're more friendly than those old stone walls above us."
