of us is--not truthful."

"Nay, Foy, nay," interposed Arentz, "do not put it thus. Doubtless there
is some mistake, and have I not told you before that you are over rash
of tongue?"

"Yes, and a great many other things," answered Foy, "every one of them
true, for I am a miserable sinner. Well, all right, there is a mistake,
and it is," he added, with an air of radiant innocency that somehow was
scarcely calculated to deceive, "that I was merely poking a stick into
Adrian's temper. I never saw him talking to Black Meg. Now, are you
satisfied?"

Then the storm broke, as Elsa, who had been watching the face of Adrian
while he listened to Foy's artless but somewhat fatuous explanation, saw
that it must break.

"There is a conspiracy against me," said Adrian, who had grown white
with rage; "yes, everything has conspired against me to-day. First the
ragamuffins in the street make a mock of me, and then my hawk is killed.
Next it chances that I rescue this lady and her companions from robbers
in the wood. But, do I get any thanks for this? No, I come home to find
that I am so much forgotten that no place is even laid for me at table;
more, to be jeered at for the humble services that I have done. Lastly,
I have the lie given to me, and without reproach, by my brother, who,
were he not my brother, should answer for it at the sword's point."

"Oh! Adrian, Adrian," broke in Foy, "don't be a fool; stop before you
say something you will be sorry for."

"That isn't all," went on Adrian, taking no heed. "Whom do I find at
this table? The worthy Heer Arentz, a minister of the New Religion.
Well, I protest. I belong to the New Religion myself, having been
brought up in that faith, but it must be well known that the presence of
a pastor here in our house exposes everybody to the risk of death. If
my stepfather and Foy choose to take that risk, well and good, but I
maintain that they have no right to lay its consequences upon my mother,
whose eldest son I am, nor even upon myself."

Now Dirk rose and tapped Adrian on the shoulder. "Young man," he said
coldly and with glittering eyes, "listen to me. The risks which I and
my son, Foy, and my wife, your mother, take, we run for conscience sake.
You have nothing to do with them, it is our affair. But since you have
raised the question, if your faith is not strong enough to support you
I acknowledge that I have no right to bring you into danger. Look you,
Adrian, you are no son of mi