hat the brothers De Witt must
necessarily save their lives, to be able to save their character. If
we are dead, who will defend us? Who will have fully understood our
intentions?"

"You expect, then, that they would kill us if those papers were found?"

John, without answering, pointed with his hand to the square, whence, at
that very moment, fierce shouts and savage yells made themselves heard.

"Yes, yes," said Cornelius, "I hear these shouts very plainly, but what
is their meaning?"

John opened the window.

"Death to the traitors!" howled the populace.

"Do you hear now, Cornelius?"

"To the traitors! that means us!" said the prisoner, raising his eyes to
heaven and shrugging his shoulders.

"Yes, it means us," repeated John.

"Where is Craeke?"

"At the door of your cell, I suppose."

"Let him enter then."

John opened the door; the faithful servant was waiting on the threshold.

"Come in, Craeke, and mind well what my brother will tell you."

"No, John; it will not suffice to send a verbal message; unfortunately,
I shall be obliged to write."

"And why that?"

"Because Van Baerle will neither give up the parcel nor burn it without
a special command to do so."

"But will you be able to write, poor old fellow?" John asked, with a
look on the scorched and bruised hands of the unfortunate sufferer.

"If I had pen and ink you would soon see," said Cornelius.

"Here is a pencil, at any rate."

"Have you any paper? for they have left me nothing."

"Here, take this Bible, and tear out the fly-leaf."

"Very well, that will do."

"But your writing will be illegible."

"Just leave me alone for that," said Cornelius. "The executioners have
indeed pinched me badly enough, but my hand will not tremble once in
tracing the few lines which are requisite."

And really Cornelius took the pencil and began to write, when through
the white linen bandages drops of blood oozed out which the pressure of
the fingers against the pencil squeezed from the raw flesh.

A cold sweat stood on the brow of the Grand Pensionary.

Cornelius wrote:--

"My dear Godson,--

"Burn the parcel which I have intrusted to you. Burn it without looking
at it, and without opening it, so that its contents may for ever remain
unknown to yourself. Secrets of this description are death to those
with whom they are deposited. Burn it, and you will have saved John and
Cornelius de Witt.

"Farewell, and love me.

"Cornelius de Wi