under the gateway, you had not been offended by mine
unworthy presence."

"I would in that case have searched the length and breadth of this land
to find you, sir," rejoined Cornelius Beresteyn earnestly, "for half an
hour later my son had told me the whole circumstances of his association
with you."

"An association of which Mynheer Nicolaes will never be over-proud, I'll
warrant," came in slightly less flippant accents than usual from the
foreigner. "Do I not stand self-confessed as a liar, a forger and
abductor of helpless women? A fine record forsooth: and ere he ordered
me to be hanged my Lord of Stoutenburg did loudly proclaim me as such
before his friends and before his followers."

"His friends, sir, are the sons of my friends. I will loudly proclaim
you what you truly are: a brave man, a loyal soldier, a noble gentleman!
Nicolaes has told me every phase of his association with you, from his
shameful proposal to you in regard to his own sister, down to this
moment when you still desired that Gilda and I should remain in
ignorance of his guilt."

"What is the good, mynheer, of raking up all this past?" said the
philosopher lightly, "I would that Mynheer Nicolaes had known how to
hold his tongue."

"Thank God that he did not," retorted Cornelius Beresteyn hotly, "had he
done so I stood in peril of failing--for the first time in my life--in
an important business obligation."

"Not towards me, mynheer, at any rate."

"Yes, sir, towards you," affirmed Beresteyn decisively. "I promised you
five hundred thousand guilders if you brought my daughter safely back to
me. I know from mine own son, sir, that I owe her safety to no one but
to you."

"Ours was an ignoble bargain, mynheer," said Diogenes with his wonted
gaiety, and though she could not see him, Gilda could picture his face
now alive with merriment and suppressed laughter. "The humour of the
situation appealed to me--it proved irresistible--but the bargain in no
way binds you seeing that it was I who had been impious enough to lay
hands upon your daughter."

"At my son's suggestion I know," rejoined Beresteyn quietly, "and from
your subsequent acts, sir, I must infer that you only did it because you
felt that she was safer under your charge than at the mercy of her own
brother and his friends.... Nay! do not protest," he added earnestly,
"Nicolaes, as you see, is of the same opinion."

"May Heaven reward you, sir, for that kindly thought of me," sai