ight
remain firm to the truth, and meet her in a more glorious state of
existence.

When Caspar Gaill found what had taken place, he was in despair. He
felt inclined to throw himself into the Meuse, and there end his life.
He accused himself, very justly, of having caused the destruction of one
he professed to love.

Might he yet do anything to save Gretchen? She might, perhaps, be got
off, though it was not likely that her father would be allowed to
escape. At first he thought of trying to get Father Quixada to plead
for Gretchen, but he shuddered when he remembered the character of the
man, and felt that even should the priest get her off, her condition
would possibly not be improved. At last he bethought himself of
consulting Peter Kopplestock. He had already told him of his love for
Gretchen, he might possibly induce the ferryman to assist in her
escape--no easy task, however, and one full of perils. Peter had not
before heard of the seizure of the merchant Hopper and his daughter. He
was naturally indignant in the extreme against all concerned.

"We must be cautious, however," he said at length, recovering his
calmness. "I tell you, however, Caspar Gaill, I believe you have had
something to do with it. You may be sorry now when it is too late.
However, you must now exert yourself. Your father and the Bishop of
Mons are old friends. You must endeavour to get the execution of these
people deferred for a few days. That will give me more time to devise a
scheme for their escape. A little bribery will probably have
considerable effect. You have plenty of wealth, expend it liberally in
this cause; you may thus somewhat repair the harm you have done."

Caspar promised to follow the advice of Peter, declaring that he would
spend every guilder he possessed to aid his object. Day after day
passed by, the accused refused to recant, and the Inquisitor declared
that he could not "longer delay affording the true Catholics in the
place the pleasure of seeing their Protestant fellow-citizens committed
to the flames."

Caspar bribed liberally as he promised, but though his money was taken
there was no good result. At length the day arrived when the executions
were to take place. A stage was erected with a gibbet on it and huge
casks of water. Below, on the solid ground, stakes with chains were
driven into the ground; while near the gibbet was a post with a chain in
which those who were to be mercifully stran