affair would render
it useless."

"To-night then, sir," said Diogenes in conclusion, "I pray you have no
fear of failure. The jongejuffrouw will sleep at Leyden, or somewhere
near there, this night. The city is distant but half-a-dozen leagues,
and we can reach it easily by midnight. From thence in the morning we
can continue our journey, and should be in sight of Rotterdam
twenty-four hours later. For the rest, as you say, the manner of our
journey doth not concern you. If the frost continues and we can travel
by sledge all the way we could reach Rotterdam in two days; in any
event, even if a thaw were to set in we should not be more than three
days on the way."

He rose from his chair and stood now facing Beresteyn. His tall figure,
stretched to its full height, seemed to tower above the other man,
though the latter was certainly not short; but Diogenes looked
massive--a young lion sniffing the scent of the desert. The mocking
glance, the curve of gentle irony were still there in eyes and mouth,
but the nostrils quivered with excitement, with the spirit of adventure
which never slept so soundly but that it awakened at a word.

"And now, sir," he said, "there are two matters both of equal
importance, which we must settle ere I can get to work."

"What may these be, sir?"

"Firstly the question of money. I have not the wherewithal to make
preparations. I shall have to engage a sleigh for to-night, horses, an
escort as far as Leyden. I shall have to make payments for promises of
secrecy...."

"That is just, sir. Would 200 guilders meet this difficulty?"

"Five hundred would be safer," said Diogenes airily, "and you may deduct
that sum from your first payment at Bennebrock."

Beresteyn did not choose to notice the impertinent tone which rang
through the other man's speech. Without wasting further words, he took a
purse from his wallet, and sitting down on one corner of the model's
platform, he emptied the contents of the purse upon it.

He counted out five hundred guilders, partly in silver and partly in
gold. These he replaced in the purse and then handed it over to
Diogenes. The latter had not moved from his position during this time,
standing as he did at some little distance so that Beresteyn had to get
up in order to hand him the money. Diogenes acknowledged its receipt
with a courteous bow.

"And what is the other matter, sir?" asked Nicolaes, after he had placed
the rest of his money back into his wa