e other not without a tone of bitterness, "what
matters what my reputation is in her sight? She despises me so utterly
already that a few sins more or less cannot lower me further in her
sight."

"No! no! I cannot do it," persisted Beresteyn. "Go to your friends,
man," he added fiercely, "the fat one is getting sorely pressed, the
other cannot cope with the horses much longer! go to their aid! and kill
me if you are so minded. Indeed I no longer care, and in any case I
could not survive all this shame."

"Die by all means when and where you list," said Diogenes placidly, "but
'tis your place first of all to take your sister now under your own
protection, to keep her in the knowledge that whatever sins you may have
committed you were at least true and loyal to herself. By Heaven man,
hath she not suffered enough already in her person, in her pride, above
all in her affections? Your loyalty to her at this moment would be ample
compensation for all that she hath suffered. Be an honest man and take
her to her home."

"How can I? I have no home: and she is a menace to us all...."

"I am a menace to you, you weak-hearted craven," cried Diogenes whose
moustache bristled with fury now, "for by Heaven I swear that you shall
not leave this place with a whole skin save to do an honest man's act of
reparation."

And as if to give greater emphasis to his words Diogenes gave the other
man's arm a vigorous wrench which caused Beresteyn to groan and curse
with pain.

"I may have to hurt you worse than this presently," said the philosopher
imperturbably as he dragged Beresteyn--who by now felt dizzy and
helpless--to the nearest chair and deposited him there. "Were you not
her brother, I believe I should crack your obstinate skull; as it
is ... I will leave you here to take counsel with reason and honesty
until I have finally disposed of my Lord of Stoutenburg."

He ran quickly to the outer door, pushed the bolts home, gave the key an
extra turn and then pulled it out of the lock and threw it out of the
window. Beresteyn--somewhat stunned with emotion, a little faint with
that vigorous wrench on his arm, and prostrate with the fatigue and
excitement of the past two days--made no attempt to stop him. No doubt
he realized that any such attempt would indeed be useless: there was so
much vitality, so much strength in the man that his tall stature
appeared to Nicolaes now of giant-like proportions, and his powers to
savour of the sup