on no mean
matter. Your Highness has heard, perhaps, of one Hendrik Brant, who
perished in the Inquisition."

"Do you mean the goldsmith and banker who was said to be the richest man
in the Netherlands?"

"Yes, sir, the man whose treasure was lost."

"I remember--whose treasure was lost--though it was reported that some
of our own people got away with it," and his eyes wandered wonderingly
to the sail which hid the burden on the cart.

"Sir," went on Foy, "you heard right; Red Martin and I, with a pilot man
who was killed, were they who got away with it, and by the help of the
waterwife, who now is dead, and who was known as Mother Martha, or
the Mare, we hid it in Haarlemer Meer, whence we recovered it after we
escaped from Haarlem. If you care to know how, I will tell you later,
but the tale is long and strange. Elsa Brant was with us at the
time----"

"She is Hendrik Brant's only child, and therefore the owner of his
wealth, I believe?" interrupted the Prince.

"Yes, sir, and my affianced wife."

"I have heard of the young lady, and I congratulate you. Is she in
Leyden?"

"No, sir, her strength and mind were much broken by the horrors which
she passed through in the siege of Haarlem, and by other events more
personal to her. Therefore, when the Spaniards threatened their first
leaguer of this place, I sent her and my mother to Norwich in England,
where they may sleep in peace."

"You were wise indeed, Heer van Goorl," replied the Prince with a sigh,
"but it seems that you stopped behind?"

"Yes, sir, Martin and I thought it our duty to see this war out. When
Leyden is safe from the Spaniards, then we go to England, not before."

"When Leyden is safe from the Spaniards----" and again the Prince
sighed, adding, "well, you have a true heart, young sir, and a right
spirit, for which I honour both of you. But I fear that things being
thus the Jufvrouw cannot sleep so very peacefully in Norwich after all."

"We must each bear our share of the basket," answered Foy sadly; "I must
do the fighting and she the watching."

"It is so, I know it, who have both fought and watched. Well, I hope
that a time will come when you will both of you do the loving. And now
for the rest of the story."

"Sir, it is very short. We read your proclamation in the streets this
morning, and learned from it for certain what we have heard before, that
you are in sore want of money for the defence of Leyden and the war at
large. The