tarted Gerard. For as
soon as he was gone, there was such crying and kissing, and then Gerard
went away. They do tell me he has gone to Italy--mayhap you know where
that is, for I don't."

Dierich's countenance fell lower and lower at this account. There was
no flaw in it, A cunninger man than Martin would perhaps have told a
lie too many and raised suspicion. But Martin did his task well. He only
told the one falsehood he was bade to tell, and of his own head invented
nothing.

"Mates," said Dierich, "I doubt he speaks sooth. I told the burgomaster
how 'twould be. He met the dwarf galloping Peter Buyskens's mule from
Sevenbergen. 'They have sent that imp to Gerard,' says he, 'so, then,
Gerard is at Sevenbergen.' 'Ah, master!' says I, ''tis too late now. We
should have thought of Sevenbergen before, instead of wasting our time
hunting all the odd corners of Tergou for those cursed parchments that
we shall never find till we find the man that took 'em. If he was at
Sevenbergen,' quoth I, 'and they sent the dwarf to him, it must have
been to warn him we are after him. He is leagues away by now,' quoth I.
Confound that chalk-faced girl! she has outwitted us bearded men; and
so I told the burgomaster, but he would not hear reason. A wet jerkin
apiece, that is all we shall get, mates, by this job."

Martin grinned coolly in Dierich's face.

"However," added the latter, "to content the burgomaster, we will search
the house."

Martin turned grave directly.

This change of countenance did not escape Dierich. He reflected a
moment.

"Watch outside two of you, one on each side of the house, that no one
jump from the upper windows. The rest come with me."

And he took the candle and mounted the stairs, followed by three of his
comrades.

Martin was left alone.

The stout soldier hung his head. All had gone so well at first; and now
this fatal turn! Suddenly it occurred to him that all was not yet lost.
Gerard must be either in Peter's room or Margaret's; they were not so
very high from the ground. Gerard would leap out. Dierich had left a man
below; but what then? For half a minute Gerard and he would be two to
one, and in that brief space, what might not be done?

Martin then held the back door ajar and watched. The light shone in
Peter's room. "Curse the fool!" said he, "is he going to let them take
him like a girl?"

The light now passed into Margaret's bedroom. Still no window was
opened. Had Gerard intended t