crime of which she was accused was that she had
escaped from death at the stake.

"The water is cold to die in!" the Mare said, in a meditative voice, as
though she were thinking aloud.

"Then why did you run away from the warm fire, heretic witch?" jeered
Black Meg.

Now Lysbeth hesitated no longer, but again answered in a monosyllable,
"No."

"Then what did she do or say, Senora?"

"She said she had known my father who used to play with her when she was
a child, and begged for alms, that is all. Then that woman came up, and
she ran away, whereon the woman said there was a price upon her head,
and that she meant to have the money."

"It is a lie," screamed Black Meg in fierce, strident tones.

"If that person will not be silent, silence her," said Montalvo,
addressing the sergeant. "I am satisfied," he went on, "that there is no
evidence at all against the prisoner except the story of a spy, who says
she believes her to be a vagrant heretic of bad character who escaped
from the stake several years ago in the neighbourhood of Brussels,
whither it is scarcely worth while to send to inquire about the matter.
So that charge may drop. There remains the question as to whether or
no the prisoner uttered certain words this afternoon, which, if she did
utter them, are undoubtedly worthy of the death that, under my authority
as acting commandant of this town, I have power to inflict. This
question I foresaw, and that is why I asked the Senora, to whom the
woman is alleged to have spoken the words, to accompany me here to
give evidence. She has done so, and her evidence on oath as against the
statement of a spy woman not on oath, is that no such words were spoken.
This being so, as the Senora is a good Catholic whom I have no reason to
disbelieve, I order the release of the prisoner, whom for my part I take
for nothing more than a crazy and harmless wanderer."

"At least you will detain her till I can prove that she is the heretic
who escaped from the stake near Brussels," shouted Black Meg.

"I will do nothing of the sort; the prison here is over-full already.
Untie her arms and let her go."

The soldiers obeyed, wondering somewhat, and the Mare scrambled to her
feet. For a moment she stood looking at her deliverer. Then crying, "We
shall met again, Lysbeth van Hout!" suddenly she turned and sped up a
dyke at extraordinary speed. In a few seconds there was nothing to be
seen of her but a black spot upon the white la