rides fast, and if you
don't find him in Delft--"

"Do you go first," urged the burgomaster, "you have the record of our
session."

"I cannot; but to-day you, the Prince's friend, for the first time lack
good-will."

"You are right, Jan," exclaimed the burgomaster, "and you shall know what
holds me back."

"If it is anything a friend can do for you, here he stands," said von
Nordwyk.

Van der Werff grasped the hand the young nobleman extended, and answered,
smiling: "No, my lord, no. You know my young wife. To-day we should have
celebrated the first anniversary of our marriage, and amid all these
anxieties I disgracefully forgot it."

"Hard, hard," said Van Hout, softly. Then he drew himself up to his full
height, and added resolutely: "And yet, were I in your place, I would go,
in spite of her."

"Would you go to-day?"

"To-day, for to-morrow it may be too late. Who knows how soon egress from
the city may be stopped and, before again venturing the utmost, we must
know the Prince's opinion. You possess more of his confidence than any of
us."

"And God knows how gladly I would bring him a cheering word in these
sorrowful hours; but it must not be to-day. The messenger has ridden off
on my bay."

"Then take my chestnut, he is faster too," said Janus Dousa and Van der
Werff answered hastily.

"Thanks, my lord. I'll send for him early tomorrow morning."

The blood mounted to Van Hout's head and, thrusting his hand angrily
between his girdle and doublet, he exclaimed: "Send me the chestnut, if
the burgomaster will give me leave of absence."

"No, send him to me," replied Peter calmly. "What must be, must be; I'll
go to-day."

Van Hout's manly features quickly smoothed and, clasping the
burgomaster's right hand in both his, he said joyously:

"Thanks, Herr Peter. And no offence; you know my hot temper. If the time
seems long to your young wife, send her to mine."

"And mine," added Dousa. "It's a strange thing about those two little
words 'wish' and 'ought.' The freer and better a man becomes, the more
surely the first becomes the slave of the second.

"And yet, Herr Peter, I'll wager that your wife will confound the two
words to-day, and think you have sorely transgressed against the 'ought.'
These are bad times for the 'wish.'"

Van der Werff nodded assent, then briefly and firmly explained to his
friends what he intended to disclose to the Prince.

The three men separated before the burgomaster'