of their coming, and being used to Malipieri’s ways would not think of ringing at his door.  In time Toto would doubtless break out, but he had not seen Sabina, for Malipieri had been very careful to make her walk close to the wall.  He did not tell Sabina these things, as it was better that she should look forward to being set free in a few hours, but he had very grave doubts about the likelihood of any such good fortune.

“You must sit down,” said Sabina.  “You cannot rest unless you sit down.  I will stand for a while.”

“There is room for us both,” Malipieri answered.

They sat down side by side on the board with the lantern at their feet, and they were very close together,

“But you will catch cold, now that you have stopped, working,” Sabina said suddenly.  “How stupid of me!”

As she spoke she pulled his coat off her shoulders, and tried to throw it over his, but he resisted, saying that he could not possibly have time to catch cold, if he went back to work in a few minutes.  Yet he already felt the horrible dampness that came up out of the overflow shaft and settled on everything in glistening beads.  It only made him understand how cold she must be, after sitting idle for two hours.

“Do you think we shall get out to-night?” Sabina asked suddenly, with the coat in her hand.

“I hope so,” he answered.

She stood up, and looked at the cavity he had made in the wall.

“Where will that lead to?” she enquired.

He had risen, too.

“It ought to lead into the coach-house, so far as I can judge.”

Instinctively, he went forward to examine the hole, and at that moment Sabina cleverly threw the coat over his shoulders and held it round his neck with both her hands.

“There!” she cried.  “You are caught now!” And she laughed as lightly as if there were no such thing as danger.

Malipieri wondered whether she realized the gravity of the situation, or whether she were only pretending to be gay in order to make it easier for him.  In either case she was perfectly brave.

“You must not!” he answered, gently trying to free himself.  “You need it more than I.”

“I wonder if it is big enough to cover us both,” Sabina said, as the idea struck her.  “Come!  Sit down beside me and we will try.”

He smiled and sat down beside her, and they managed to hold the coat so that it just covered their shoulders.

“Paul and Virginia,” said Malipieri, and they both laughed a little.

But as their laughter died away, Sabina’s teeth chattered, and she drew in her breath.  At the slight sound Malipieri looked anxiously into her face, and saw that her lips were blue.

“This is folly,” he said.  “You will fall ill if you stay here any longer.  It is quite dry in the vault, and warm by comparison with this place.  You must go down there, while I stay here and work.”