first the sergeant of the guard would not believe that it was his acting
commandant who spoke without.

"Pardon, Excellency," he said when he had inspected him with a lantern,
"but I did not think that you would be going the rounds with a lady
in your sledge," and holding up the light the man took a long look at
Lysbeth, grinning visibly as he recognised her.

"Ah, he is a gay bird, the captain, a very gay bird, and it's a pretty
Dutch dickey he is teaching to pipe now," she heard him call to a
comrade as he closed the heavy gates behind their sleigh.

Then followed more visits to other military posts in the town, and with
each visit a further explanation. All this while the Count Montalvo
uttered no word beyond those of ordinary compliment, and ventured on
no act of familiarity; his conversation and demeanour indeed remaining
perfectly courteous and respectful. So far as it went this was
satisfactory, but at length there came a moment when Lysbeth felt that
she could bear the position no longer.

"Senor," she said briefly, "take me home; I grow faint."

"With hunger doubtless," he interrupted; "well, by heaven! so do I. But,
my dear lady, as you are aware, duty must be attended to, and, after
all, you may have found some interest in accompanying me on a tour of
the pickets at night. I know your people speak roughly of us Spanish
soldiers, but I hope that after this you will be able to bear testimony
to their discipline. Although it is a fete day you will be my witness
that we have not found a man off duty or the worse for drink. Here,
you," he called to a soldier who stood up to salute him, "follow me to
the house of the Jufvrouw Lysbeth van Hout, where I sup, and lead this
sledge back to my quarters."

CHAPTER III

MONTALVO WINS A TRICK

Turning up the Bree Straat, then as now perhaps the finest in the town
of Leyden, Montalvo halted his horse before a substantial house fronted
with three round-headed gables, of which the largest--that over the
entrance in the middle--was shaped into two windows with balconies. This
was Lysbeth's house which had been left to her by her father, where,
until such time as she should please to marry, she dwelt with her aunt,
Clara van Ziel. The soldier whom he had summoned having run to the
horse's head, Montalvo leapt from his driver's seat to assist the lady
to alight. At the moment Lysbeth was occupied with wild ideas of swift
escape, but even if she could make up her mi