Jacob paused a few seconds before replying, and then said simply, “What can I do?”

“I will tell thee,” answered Esther, speaking rapidly.  “Cuthbert Trevlyn lies bound in a house not far away.  Tomorrow, so soon as the news of the plot is noised abroad, and all is in commotion to discover the conspirators, he will be delivered up to those who are searching for these; and if thou knewest as much as I, thou wouldst know that nothing then can save him.  But there be yet twelve hours before this can happen, and if he can be rescued within those twelve hours, and lodged with me in my house at Budge Row, I will undertake to hide him so well till all hue and cry be past and over that none shall find him; and before the glad Yuletide season has come to rejoice men’s hearts, he shall be free to go where he will and show his face with the best of them.”

This and much more did the eager gipsy pour into Jacob’s astonished ears as he stood in the shadow of the deep porch.  Every detail of the capture was made known to him, the whole plot laid bare, as she had heard it from the lips of the men who had borne Cuthbert ashore, and had then been so cunningly plied with heating liquor by the astute old woman that they had babbled freely of those very things that Tyrrel would fain have had held secret as the grave, at least for twenty-four hours longer.

Jacob listened, and as he listened his mind was strangely stirred.  Here was his rival in deadly peril of his life; and if Cuthbert were once to be removed from his path, had not Cherry almost promised, in time, to be his wife?  And had he not done all he knew to warn Cuthbert from just those friendships and associations which had ended by placing him in this terrible peril?  Could anything more be looked for from him?  What did this strange woman think that he could accomplish?

Cuthbert was truly his friend and comrade.  He had proved it once by risking his life to aid and abet him.  But now what could he do?  And surely in these perilous times, when all men knew they must walk warily, it behoved him to take heed to his steps.

“And what can I do?” he asked, as the woman paused.

“Art thou willing to strive to save him at some peril to thyself?”

Jacob paused for a full minute.  A host of tumultuous feelings rushed and surged through his brain.  A thousand conflicting impulses swayed him as he revolved the situation with all the rapidity of quickened thought.

It was but a minute, yet it seemed like an hour to him before he placed his hand upon that of the eager woman and answered steadily: 

“I am willing.”

She clutched his hand and held it fast.