o Vanslyperken, requesting his immediate presence, and
hastened to the morning apartment of Wilhelmina. In a few words, he
told her that he had received timely notice that it was the intention of
the Government to seize her father and him as suspected traitors, and
throw them that very night into prison.

Wilhelmina made no reply.

"For your father, my dearest girl, there is no fear: he will be fully
acquitted; but I, Wilhelmina, must part immediately, or my life is
forfeited."

"Leave me, Edward?" replied Wilhelmina.

"No, you must go with me, Wilhelmina, for more than one reason; the
Government have ordered the seizure of the persons to be made in the
night, to avoid a disturbance; but that they will not be able to
prevent; the mob are but too happy to prove their loyalty, when they can
do so by rapine and plunder, and depend upon it that this house will be
sacked and levelled to the ground before to-morrow evening. You cannot
go to prison with your father; you cannot remain here, to be at the
mercy of an infuriated and lawless mob. You must go with me,
Wilhelmina: trust to me, not only for my sake, but for your father's."

"My father's, Edward, it is that only I am thinking of; how can I leave
my father at such a time?"

"You will save your father by so doing. Your departure with me will
substantiate his innocence; decide, my dearest girl! decide at once; you
must either fly with me, or we must part for ever."

"Oh no, that must not be, Edward," cried Wilhelmina, bursting into
tears.

After some further persuasions on the part of Ramsay, and fresh tears
from the attached maiden, it was agreed that she should act upon his
suggestions, and with a throbbing heart she went to her chamber to make
the necessary preparations, while Ramsay requested Mynheer Krause would
give him a few minutes of his company in his room above.

The syndic soon made his appearance. "Well, Mynheer Ramsay, you have
some news to tell me, I am sure:" for Mynheer Krause, notwithstanding
his rebuff from the king, could not divest himself of his failing of
fetching and carrying reports. Ramsay went to the door and turned the
key.

"I have, indeed, most important news, Mynheer Krause, and, I am sorry to
say, very unpleasant also."

"Indeed," replied the syndic, with alarm.

"Yes; I find from a notice given me by one of his majesty's council,
assembled this morning at the Hague, that you are suspected of
treasonable practices."