r
go in peace; my eyes have seen thy glory.'"

"But, woman, why didn't you look in your closet, and under the bed?"

"I didn't want to do that, Juffrouw Pieterse! The Lord will take care
of me--but one must not try the Lord's patience. I would not go in the
closet, or look under the bed--not for everything in the world! For of
course he's there, and that's why I wanted to ask if your son--Stoffel,
or, if Stoffel doesn't want to, if perhaps your son--Laurens, or----"

"But, Juffrouw, why didn't you call the neighbors?"

Thus spoke Stoffel.

"The neighbors? Well, I guess they know about it. The man who lives
under me is afraid of a poodle-dog, not to mention a murderer. There's
a man living next to me; but, you know, he is--what shall I say--he
is a sort of bachelor, and I don't want to get talked about. You
know a woman must always think of her reputation, and not get mixed
up in gossip."

It did not occur to anyone to ask what sort of a creature Stoffel
was. Was he a bachelor? Or did his position as a teacher protect him
against any worldly suspicion?

"And, besides," continued the seductive Laps, "do you think all
men have courage? No! They're as afraid of a thief as they are of
death. Last week an insolent beggar was on the steps, and the fellow
wouldn't leave. Do you think the men did anything to him? Scared to
death! But, I tell you, I got hold of him in a hurry and----"

She had gone too far, and she saw it.

"Well, I would have done that if I hadn't been a woman; for a woman
must never use violence. It isn't becoming. What do you say, Trudie? I
ran and shut my door. Wasn't that right? No, none of the men-folk
has any courage!"

None of the men-folk! Walter felt insulted. He was swelling with
suppressed courage; he was eager for a fray. At least, he was eager to
show that he was an exception to Juffrouw Laps's general indictment. Of
course Juffrouw Laps noticed this.

"Well, if Stoffel doesn't want to----"

"To tell the truth, I----"

"And if Laurens is already asleep--and if--if no one else will----"

She arose.

"Then I suppose I must, relying upon God, go alone. But it's horrible
for a woman to be entirely alone!"

She looked at them all in turn, all except the one she was talking
to. Walter felt that he was being forgotten, or overlooked. This only
increased his latent courage and made him burn with a desire to be
numbered with the knighthood of the house.

"Yes, if there's nobody here wh