will try and
do her best, and the jongejuffrouw has her own waiting woman with her as
well."

"And the horses?"

"In the shed behind the hut."

"Look after them well, Jan: we may want to use them again to-morrow."

"They shall be well looked after, my lord."

"And you have placed the sentry outside the hut?"

"Two men in the front and two in the rear, as you have commanded, my
lord."

Stoutenburg drew a deep breath of satisfaction: but anxiety seemed to
have exhausted him, for now that his questions had been clearly
answered, he sank into a chair.

"All well, Nicolaes," he said more calmly as he placed a re-assuring
hand upon his friend's shoulder.

But Nicolaes groaned aloud.

"Would to God," he said, "that all were well!"

Smothering an impatient retort Stoutenburg once more turned to Jan.

"And what news of the foreigner?" he queried eagerly.

"We have got him, my lord," replied Jan.

"By G--d!" exclaimed Stoutenburg, "how did you do it?"

His excitement was at fever pitch now. He was leaning forward, and his
attitude was one of burning expectancy. His hollow eyes were fixed upon
Jan's lips as if they would extract from them the glad news which they
held. Whatever weakness there was in Stoutenburg's nature, one thing in
him was strong--and that was hatred. He could hate with an intensity of
passion worthy of a fine cause. He hated the Stadtholder first, and
secondly the nameless adventurer who had humiliated him and forced him
to lick the dust: wounded in his vanity and in his arrogance he was
consumed with an inordinate desire for revenge. The hope that this
revenge was now at last in sight--that the man whom he hated so
desperately was now in his power--almost caused the light of mania to
dance in his glowing eyes.

"How did you do it, Jan?" he reiterated hoarsely.

"It was not far from the molens," said Jan simply, "until then he gave
us the slip, though we spied him just outside Delft on our way to
Rotterdam this morning. My impression is that he went back to Rotterdam
then, and that he followed the jongejuffrouw's sledge practically all
the way. Close to the molens he was forced to draw a little nearer as it
was getting very dark and probably he did not know his way about. I am
convinced that he wished to ascertain exactly whither we were taking the
jongejuffrouw. At any rate, I and some of our fellows who had lagged in
the rear caught sight of him then...."

"And you seized him?" crie