you at least to look upon me as a friend, a
true friend who would lay down his life to serve you."

Then, with many a sigh, Montalvo departed home to Leyden upon his
beautiful black horse, but not before he had enjoyed a few minutes'
earnest conversation with the worthy Tante Clara.

"Now, if only this old lady were concerned," he reflected as he rode
away, "the matter might be easy enough, and the Saints know it would be
one to me, but unhappily that obstinate pig of a Hollander girl has all
the money in her own right. In what labours do not the necessities of
rank and station involve a man who by disposition requires only ease and
quiet! Well, my young friend Lysbeth, if I do not make you pay for
these exertions before you are two months older, my name is not Juan de
Montalvo."

Three days later the ladies returned to Leyden. Within an hour of their
arrival the Count called, and was admitted.

"Stay with me," said Lysbeth to her Aunt Clara as the visitor was
announced, and for a while she stayed. Then, making an excuse, she
vanished from the room, and Lysbeth was left face to face with her
tormentor.

"Why do you come here?" she asked; "I have given you my answer."

"I come for your own sake," he replied, "to give you my reasons
for conduct which you may think strange. You remember a certain
conversation?"

"Perfectly," broke in Lysbeth.

"A slight mistake, I think, Jufvrouw, I mean a conversation about an
excellent friend of yours, whose spiritual affairs seem to interest
you."

"What of it, Senor?"

"Only this; I have made inquiries and----"

Lysbeth looked up unable to conceal her anxiety.

"Oh! Jufvrouw, let me beg of you to learn to control your expression;
the open face of childhood is so dangerous in these days."

"He is my cousin."

"I know; were he anything more, I should be so grieved, but we can most
of us spare a cousin or two."

"If you would cease amusing yourself, Senor----"

"And come to the point? Of course I will. Well, the result of my
inquiries has been to find out that this worthy person _is_ a heretic of
the most pernicious sort. I said inquiries, but there was no need for me
to make any. He has been----"

"Not denounced," broke in Lysbeth.

"Oh! my dear lady, again that tell-tale emotion from which all sorts of
things might be concluded. Yes--denounced--but fortunately to myself as
a person appointed under the Edict. It will, I fear, be my duty to have
him arrested