ke care of everything while I am gone. I shall be home by nine, I
dare say. I suppose they are going to try him now, that he may be hanged
at sunrise. I knew how it would be. Yes, yes, Mr Vanslyperken, every dog
has his day; and there's an end of you, and of your cur also, I've
a notion."

The widow being now duly equipped, walked down stairs to them, and
proceeded with the officers to the Stadt House. She was brought into the
presence of Mynheer Engelback, who held the office of provost.

"Here is the widow Vandersloosh, mynheer."

"Very well," replied Engelback, who was in a very bad humour at the
unsuccessful search after the conspirators, "away with her."

"Away! where?" exclaimed the widow.

Engelback did not condescend to make a reply. The officers were mute;
but one stout man on either side seized her arm and led her away,
notwithstanding expostulation, and some resistance on her part.

"Where am I going? what is all this?" exclaimed the, widow, terrified;
but there was no answer.

At last they came to a door, held open already by another man with a
bunch of keys. The terrified woman perceived that it was a paved stone
cell, with a brick arch over it; in short, a dungeon. The truth flashed
upon her, for the first time. It was she who had been arrested for
treason. But before she could shriek she was shoved in, and the door
closed and locked upon her; and the widow sank down into a sitting
posture on the ground, overcome with astonishment and indignation. "Was
it possible? Had the villain prevailed?" was the question, which she
asked herself over and over again, changing alternately from sorrow to
indignation: at one time wringing her hands, and at others exclaiming,
"Well, well, Mr Vanslyperken, we shall see."

Chapter XLIX

In which is related much appertaining to the "pomp and glorious
circumstance" of war.

The arrival of Ramsay and his party was so unexpected, that, at first,
Lady Barclay imagined they had been betrayed, and that the boat was
filled with armed men from the king's cutter, who had come on shore with
a view of forcing an entrance into the cave. In a minute every
preparation was made for defence; for it had long been arranged, that,
in case of an unexpected attack, the women should make all the
resistance in their power, and which the nature of the place enabled
them to do.

But, as many observed, the party, although coming from the cutter, and
not badly armed, did not appea