"
"She has the plague?" said Sir Norman.
"I know it."
"Will she recover?"
"She will."
"Where is she now?"
La Masque hesitated and seemed uncertain whether or not to reply,
Sir Norman passionately broke in:
"Tell me, madam, for I must know!"
"Then you shall; but, remember, if you get into danger, you must
not blame me."
"Blame you! No, I think I would hardly do that. Where am I to
seek for her?"
"Two miles from London beyond Newgate," said the mask. "There
stand the ruins of what was long ago a hunting-lodge, now a
crumbling skeleton, roofless and windowless, and said, by rumor,
to be haunted. Perhaps you have seen or heard of it?"
"I have seen it a hundred times," broke in Sir Norman. "Surely,
you do not mean to say she is there?"
"Go there, and you will see. Go there to-night, and lose no time
- that is, supposing you can procure a license."
"I have one already. I have a pass from the Lord Mayor to come
and go from the city when I please."
"Good! Then you'll go to-night."
"I will go. I might as well do that as anything else, I suppose;
but it is quite impossible," said Sir Norman, firmly, not to say
obstinately, "that she can be there.
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