o furnish such a clue?"

"If I am in a position, what then?"

"Then, perhaps, after a few days visit to an interesting, but little
explored part of Holland, you might return to your friends as you left
them--in short as a single woman."

A struggle shook Elsa, and do what she would some trace of it appeared
in her face.

"Do you swear that?" she whispered.

"Most certainly."

"Do you swear before God that if you have this clue you will not force
me into a marriage with the Heer Adrian, or with yourself--that you will
let me go, unharmed?"

"I swear it--before God."

"Knowing that God will be revenged upon you if you break the oath, you
still swear?"

"I still swear. Why these needless repetitions?"

"Then--then," and she leant towards him, speaking in a hoarse whisper,
"believing that you, even you, will not dare to be false to such
an oath, for you, even you, must fear death, a miserable death, and
vengeance, eternal vengeance, I give you the clue: It lies in the hilt
of the sword Silence."

"The sword Silence? What sword is that?"

"The great sword of Red Martin."

Stirred out of his self-control, Ramiro struck his hand upon his knee.

"And to think," he said, "that for over twelve hours I had it hanging
on the wall of the Gevangenhuis! Well, I fear that I must ask you to be
more explicit. Where is this sword?"

"Wherever Red Martin is, that is all I know. I can tell you no more; the
plan of the hiding-place is there."

"Or was there. Well, I believe you, but to win a secret from the hilt of
the sword of the man who broke his way out of the torture-chamber of the
Gevangenhuis, is a labour that would have been not unworthy of Hercules.
First, Red Martin must be found, then his sword must be taken, which,
I think, will cost men their lives. Dear lady, I am obliged for your
information, but I fear that the marriage must still go through."

"You swore, you swore," she gasped, "you swore before God!"

"Quite so, and I shall leave--the Power you refer to--to manage the
matter. Doubtless He can attend to His own affairs--I must attend to
mine. I hope that about seven o'clock this evening will suit you, by
which time the priest and--a bridegroom will be ready."

Then Elsa broke down.

"Devil!" she cried in the torment of her despair. "To save my honour I
have betrayed my father's trust; I have betrayed the secret for which
Martin was ready to die by torment, and given him over to be hunted like
a wi