e land demands."

At these words the young wife loosed her hands from her husband's, for
the door had opened and Barbara called to her brother from the threshold.

"Herr Matanesse Van Wibisma, the Glipper, is in the entry and wants to
speak to you."

"Show him up," said the burgomaster reluctantly. When again alone with
his wife, he asked hastily "Will you be indulgent and help me?"

She nodded assent, trying to smile.

He saw that she was sad and, as this grieved him, held out his hand to
her again, saying:

"Better days will come, when I shall be permitted to be more to you than
to-day. What were you going to say just now?"

"Whether you know it or not--is of no importance to the state."

"But to you. Then lift up your head again, and look at me. Quick, love,
for they are already on the stairs."

"It isn't worth mentioning--a year ago to-day--we might celebrate the
anniversary of our wedding to-day."

"The anniversary of our wedding-day!" he cried, striking his hands loudly
together. "Yes, this is the seventeenth of April, and I have forgotten
it."

He drew her tenderly towards him, but just at that moment the door
opened, and Adrian ushered the baron into the room.

Van der Werff bowed courteously to the infrequent guest, then called to
his blushing wife, who was retiring: "My congratulations! I'll come
later. Adrian, we are to celebrate a beautiful festival to-day, the
anniversary of our marriage."

The boy glided swiftly out of the door, which he still held in his hand,
for he suspected the aristocratic visitor boded him no good.

In the entry he paused to think, then hurried up the stairs, seized his
plumeless cap, and rushed out of doors. He saw his school-mates, armed
with sticks and poles, ranging themselves in battle array, and would have
liked to join the game of war, but for that very reason preferred not to
listen to the shouts of the combatants at that moment, and ran towards
the Zylhof until beyond the sound of their voices.

He now checked his steps, and in a stooping posture, often on his knees,
followed the windings of a narrow canal that emptied into the Rhine.

As soon as his cap was overflowing with the white, blue, and yellow
spring flowers he had gathered, he sat down on a boundary stone, and with
sparkling eyes bound them into a beautiful bouquet, with which he ran
home.

On the bench beside the gate sat the old maidservant with his little
sister, a child six years old. Handi