rouw, who know who those murderers are...."

A cry of anguish rose to her lips.

"No, no, no," she cried, "it is false ... you are only
guessing ... remember that I have told you nothing."

But already the tense expression on his face had gone. He drew himself
up to his full height once more and heaved a deep breath which sounded
like a sigh of satisfaction.

"Yet in your candour, mejuffrouw, you have told me much," he said
quietly, "confirmed much that I only vaguely guessed. The Stadtholder's
life is in peril and you hold in your feeble little hands the threads of
the conspiracy which threatens him ... is that not why you are here,
mejuffrouw ... a prisoner, as you say, at the good-will of my employer?
I am only guessing, remember, but on your face, meseems that I can read
that I do guess aright."

"Then you will do what I ask?" she exclaimed with a happy little gasp of
renewed hope.

"That, mejuffrouw, is I fear me impossible," he said quietly.

"Impossible? But--just now...."

"Just now," he rejoined with affected carelessness, "I said, mejuffrouw,
that I would on no account escort you to Delft without knowing what your
purpose is with the Prince of Orange. Even now I do not know, I merely
guessed."

"But," she entreated, "if I do own that you have guessed aright--partly
at any rate--if I do tell you that the Stadtholder's life might be
imperilled if I did not give him a timely word of warning, if...."

"Even if you told me all that, mejuffrouw," he broke in lightly, "if you
did bring your pride down so far as to trust a miserable knave with a
secret which he might sell for money on the morrow--even then, I fear
me, I could not do what you ask."

"But why not?" she insisted, her voice choking in her throat in the
agony of terrible doubt and fear.

"Because the man of whom you spoke just now, the man whom you love,
mejuffrouw, has been more far-seeing, more prudent than you or I. He
hath put it out of my power to render you this service."

"How?"

"By warning Mynheer Ben Isaje against any attempt at escape on your
part, against any attempt at betrayal on mine. Mynheer Ben Isaje is
prepared: he hath a guard of ten picked men on the watch, and two more
men outside his door. If you tried to leave this house with me without
his consent he would prevent you, and I am no match alas! for twelve
men."

"Why should he guard me so?"

"Because he will not be paid if he keep not watch over you."

"But I'll