hair, being
spared by her coiffure, showed her to be past the age when women of
sense concealed their years. The looks of both were kind and friendly.
Margaret tried to raise herself in the bed, but the old lady placed a
hand very gently on her.

"Lie still, sweetheart; we come not here to put you about, but to
comfort you, God willing. Now cheer up a bit, and tell us, first, who
think you we are?"

"Nay, madam, I know you, though I never saw you before: you are the
demoiselle Van Eyck, and this is Reicht Heynes. Gerard has oft spoken of
you, and of your goodness to him. Madam, he has no friend like you near
him now," and at this thought she lay back, and the tears welled out of
her eyes in a moment.

The good-natured Reicht Heynes began to cry for company; but her
mistress scolded her. "Well, you are a pretty one for a sick-room," said
she; and she put out a world of innocent art to cheer the patient; and
not without some little success. An old woman, that has seen life and
all its troubles, is a sovereign blessing by a sorrowful young woman's
side. She knows what to say, and what to avoid. She knows how to soothe
her and interest her. Ere she had been there an hour, she had Margaret's
head lying on her shoulder instead of on the pillow, and Margaret's soft
eyes dwelling on her with gentle gratitude.

"Ah! this is hair," said the old lady, running her fingers through it.
"Come and look at it, Reicht!"

Reicht came and handled it, and praised it unaffectedly. The poor
girl that owned it was not quite out of the reach of flattery; owing
doubtless to not being dead.

"In sooth, madam, I did use to think it hideous; but he praised it, and
ever since then I have been almost vain of it, saints forgive me. You
know how foolish those are that love."

"They are greater fools that don't," said the old lady, sharply.

Margaret opened her lovely eyes, and looked at her for her meaning.

This was only the first of many visits. In fact either Margaret Van Eyck
or Reicht came nearly every day until their patient was convalescent;
and she improved rapidly under their hands. Reicht attributed this
principally to certain nourishing dishes she prepared in Peter's
kitchen; but Margaret herself thought more of the kind words and eyes
that kept telling her she had friends to live for.

Martin Wittenhaagen went straight to Rotterdam, to take the bull by the
horns. The bull was a biped, with a crown for horns. It was Philip
th