esterday morning? Pray, sir, why were not those
letters delivered at once?"

"Because I had no time," replied Vanslyperken, sulkily.

"No time, sir; what do you mean by that? Your time is ours, sir. You
are paid for it; for one shilling that you receive from the rascally
government you condescend to serve and to betray, you receive from us
pounds. Let not this happen again, my sir, or you may repent it."

Vanslyperken was not in the best of humours, and he angrily replied,
"Then you may get others to do your work, for this is the last I'll do;
pay me for them, and let me go."

"The last you'll do; you'll do as much as we please, and as long as we
please. You are doubly in our power, scoundrel! You betray the
government you serve, but you shall not betray us. If you had a thousand
lives, you are a dead man the very moment you flinch from or neglect our
work. Do your work faithfully, and you will be rewarded; but either you
must do our work or die. You have but to choose."

"Indeed!" replied Vanslyperken.

"Yes, indeed! And to prove that I am in earnest, I shall punish you for
your neglect, by not paying you this time. You may leave the letters and
go. But mind that you give us timely notice when you are ordered back to
the Hague, for we shall want you."

Vanslyperken, indignant at this language, obeyed his first impulse,
which was to snatch up the letters and attempt to leave the room.

"No pay, no letters!" exclaimed he, opening the door.

"Fool!" cried the young man with a bitter sneer, not stirring from his
seat.

Vanslyperken opened the door, and to his amazement there were three
swords pointed to his heart. He started back.

"Will you leave the letters now?" observed the young man.

Vanslyperken threw them down on the table with every sign of
perturbation, and remained silent and pale.

"And now perfectly understand me, sir," said the young cavalier. "We
make a great distinction between those who have joined the good cause,
or rather, who have continued steadfast to their king from feelings of
honour and loyalty, and those who are to be bought and sold. We honour
the first, we despise the latter. Their services we require, and
therefore we employ them. A traitor to the sovereign from whom he
receives his pay, is not likely to be trusted by us. I know your
character, that is sufficient. Now, although the government make no
difference between one party or the other, with the exception that some
may be