upon you,
false priest."

Drawing the ring from her finger, as she spoke she cast it down upon
the oaken table, whence it sprang up to drop again and rattle itself to
silence. Then with one tragic motion of despair, Elsa turned and fled
back to her chamber.

The red face of Father Thomas went white, and his yellow teeth
chattered. "A virgin's curse," he muttered, crossing himself.
"Misfortune always follows, and it is sometimes death--yes, by St.
Thomas, death. And you, you brought me here to do this wickedness, you
dog, you galley slave!"

"Father," broke in Ramiro, "you know I have warned you against it before
at The Hague; sooner or later it always breaks up the nerves," and he
nodded towards the flagon of spirits. "Bread and water, Father, bread
and water for forty days, that is what I prescribe, and----"

As he spoke the door was burst open, and two men rushed in, their eyes
starting, their very beards bristling with terror.

"Come forth!" they cried.

"What has chanced?" screamed the priest.

"The great dyke has burst--hark, hark, hark! The floods are upon you,
the mill will be swept away."

God in Heaven--it was true! Now through the open doorway they heard the
roar of waters, whose note Adrian had caught before, yes, and in the
gloom appeared their foaming crest as they rushed through the great and
ever-widening breach in the lofty dyke down upon the flooded lowland.

Father Thomas bounded through the door yelling, "The boat, the boat!"
For a moment Ramiro thought, considering the situation, then he said:

"Fetch the Jufvrouw. No, not you, Adrian; she would die rather than come
with you. You, Simon, and you, Meg. Swift, obey."

They departed on their errand.

"Men," went on Ramiro, "take this gentleman and lead him to the boat.
Hold him if he tries to escape. I will follow with the lady. Go, you
fool, go, there is not a second to be lost," and Adrian, hanging back
and protesting, was dragged away by the boatmen.

Now Ramiro was alone, and though, as he had said, there was little time
to spare, again for a few moments he thought deeply. His face flushed
and went pale; then entered into it a great resolve. "I don't like doing
it, for it is against my vow, but the chance is good. She is safely
married, and at best she would be very troublesome hereafter, and might
bring us to justice or to the galleys since others seek her wealth," he
muttered with a shiver, adding, "as for the spies, we are well ri