it be--no, that was too
horrible.

"Well, officer," broke in Montalvo, addressing the sergeant in a quiet,
wearied voice, "what is all this about? Set out your case."

"Excellency," replied the man, "it is a very simple matter. This
creature here, so that woman is ready to take oath," and he pointed to
Black Meg, "is a notorious heretic who has already been condemned to
death by the Holy Office, and whose husband, a learned man who painted
pictures and studied the stars, was burnt on a charge of witchcraft and
heresy, two years ago at Brussels. But she managed to escape the stake,
and since then has lived as a vagrant, hiding in the islands of the
Haarlemer Meer, and, it is suspected, working murder and robbery on any
of Spanish blood whom she can catch. Now she has been caught herself
and identified, and, of course, the sentence being in full force against
her, can be dealt with at once on your Excellency's command. Indeed,
it would not have been necessary that you should be troubled about
the thing at all had it not been that this worthy woman," and again he
pointed to Black Meg, "who was the one who waylaid her, pulled her down
and held her till we came, requires your certificate in order that
she may claim the reward from the Treasurer of the Holy Inquisition.
Therefore, you will be asked to certify that this is, indeed, the
notorious heretic commonly known as Martha the Mare, but whose other
name I forget, after which, if you will please to withdraw, we will see
to the rest."

"You mean that she will be taken to the prison to be dealt with by the
Holy Office?" queried Montalvo.

"Not exactly, Excellency," answered the sergeant with a discreet smile
and a cough. "The prison, I am told, is quite full, but she may start
for the prison and--there seems to be a hole in the ice into which,
since Satan leads the footsteps of such people astray, this heretic
might chance to fall--or throw herself."

"What is the evidence?" asked Montalvo.

Then Black Meg stood forward, and, with the rapidity and unction of a
spy, poured out her tale. She identified the woman with one whom she had
known who was sentenced to death by the Inquisition and escaped, and,
after giving other evidence, ended by repeating the conversation which
she had overheard between the accused and Lysbeth that afternoon.

"You accompanied me in a fortunate hour, Senora van Hout," said the
captain gaily, "for now, to satisfy myself, as I wish to be just,