ves me; breathe not to a soul what I say to you. I
have told Dirk Brower that Gerard is out of Holland, but much I doubt he
is not a league from Tergou."

"Why, where is he, then?"

"Where should he be, but with her he loves? But if so, he must not
loiter. These be deep and dark and wicked men that seek him. Giles, I
see that in Dirk Brower's eye makes me tremble. Oh, why cannot I fly to
Sevenbergen and bid him away? Why am I not lusty and active like other
girls? God forgive me for fretting at His will; but I never felt till
now what it is to be lame and weak and useless. But you are strong, dear
Giles," added she coaxingly; "you are very strong."

"Yes, I am strong," thundered Perpusillus; then, catching sight of her
meaning, "but I hate to go on foot," he added sulkily.

"Alas! alas! who will help me if you will not? Dear Giles, do you not
love Gerard?"

"Yes, I like him best of the lot. I'll go to Sevenbergen on Peter
Buyskens his mule. Ask you him, for he won't lend her me."

Kate remonstrated. The whole town would follow him. It would be known
whither he was gone, and Gerard be in worse danger than before.

Giles parried this by promising to ride out of the town the opposite
way, and not turn the mule's head towards Sevenbergen till he had got
rid of the curious.

Kate then assented and borrowed the mule. She charged Giles with a short
but meaning message, and made him repeat it after her over and over,
till he could say it word for word.

Giles started on the mule, and little Kate retired, and did the last
thing now in her power for her beloved brother--prayed on her knees long
and earnestly for his safety.

CHAPTER XIII

Gerard and Margaret went gaily to Sevenbergen in the first flush of
recovered liberty and successful adventure. But these soon yielded
to sadder thoughts. Gerard was an escaped prisoner, and liable to be
retaken and perhaps punished; and therefore he and Margaret would have
to part for a time. Moreover, he had conceived a hatred to his native
place. Margaret wished him to leave the country for a while, but at
the thought of his going to Italy her heart fainted. Gerard, on the
contrary, was reconciled to leaving Margaret only by his desire to visit
Italy, and his strong conviction that there he should earn money and
reputation, and remove every obstacle to their marriage. He had already
told her all that the demoiselle Van Eyck had said to him. He repeated
it, and reminded Marga