l be the best means of
avoiding Delft."

"And remember," concluded Stoutenburg in his most peremptory manner,
"that you must all be back here before ten o'clock to-night. The
jongejuffrouw first and you with the foreigner later. It is not much
more than eight o'clock now; you have the whole day before you. Let the
sledge pull up outside the miller's hut, everything will be ready there
by then for the jongejuffrouw's reception; and let your watchwords be
'Silence, discretion, speed!'--you understand?"

"I understand, my lord," replied Jan simply as he gave a military
salute, then quietly turned on his heel and went out of the room.

The two friends were once more alone, straining their ears to catch
every sound which came to them now from below. Muffled and enveloped in
the mist, the voice of Jan giving brief words of command could be
distinctly heard, also the metallic click of skates and the tramping of
heavily-booted feet upon the ground. But ten minutes later all these
sounds had died away. Jan and his men had gone to fetch Gilda--the poor
little pawn moved hither and thither by the ruthless and ambitious hands
of men.

Beresteyn had buried his head in his hands, in a sudden fit of
overpowering remorse. Stoutenburg looked on him silently for awhile, his
haggard face appeared drawn and sunken in the pale grey light which
found its way through the tiny window up above. Passion greater than
that which broke down the spirit of his friend, was tearing at his
heart-strings; ambition fought with love, and remorse with
determination. But through it all the image of Gilda flitted before his
burning eyes across this dimly-lighted room, reproachful and sweet and
tantalizingly beautiful. The desire to have her near him in the greatest
hour of his life on the morrow, had been the true mainspring which had
prompted him to urge Beresteyn to send for her. It seemed to him that
Gilda's presence would bring him luck in his dark undertaking so heavily
fraught with crime, and with a careless shrug of the shoulders he was
ready to dismiss all thoughts of the wrong which he had done her, in
favour of his hopes, his desire, his certainty that a glorious future in
his arms would compensate her for all that he had caused her to endure.

CHAPTER XXXII

A RUN THROUGH THE NIGHT

That same morning of this fourth day of the New Year found Gilda
Beresteyn sitting silent and thoughtful in the tiny room which had been
placed at her